The 16-day sporting event ended with being Indiaโs best performance at the Olympics. Know about all the medal winners from India in the Tokyo Olympics
This yearโs Games should be remembered not only for the medalists but also for those athletes, who gave their very best, performed above par, and gave tough competition to world-class players and also those who miss the podium by a whisker. Many records were created at the Games such as India winning a medal on the very first day.
2020 Tokyo Games: Indiaโs Best Olympic Performance Ever
The recently held Tokyo Summer Olympics has been registered in history as Indiaโs most successful Olympic campaign. As it ended with Indiaโs best medal haul ever at the Olympics with 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals bettering the previous record tally of six medals at the 2012 London Games. It was for the 1st time that India won seven medals across various sports at the biggest sporting event.
For this Tokyo Olympics, India sent its biggest contingent ever with 121 athletes competing across 18 sports disciplines. With few of the athletes participating in their first-ever Olympics.
Seven Medal Winners From India in the Tokyo Olympics
Neeraj Chopra (Gold, Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw)
On the 15th day, the last sporting day of the Tokyo Games and Indiaโs final hope to surpass its 2012 Olympics medal tally saw history being created. Neeraj Chopra, 23, won gold in the men’s javelin throw with his best throw of 87.58mand became the 1st Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics. With this historic performance, he is Indiaโs second individual Olympic gold medalist since 2008 after shooter Abhinav Bindra.
Historic. Iconic. Magical. #Tokyo2020 | @Neeraj_chopra1 pic.twitter.com/DbBXKztjPk
— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) August 7, 2021
Mirabai Chanu (Silver, Weightlifting – Women’s 49kg)
Indiaโs first-ever medal at the Tokyo Olympics came from Weightlifting where Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category that too on day one of the Games. Mirabai Chanu lifted a total weight of 202kg (87kg in Snatch + 115kg in Clean and jerk). Thus ended Indiaโs wait for a weightlifting medal after 21 long years.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya (Silver, Wrestling – Men’s freestyle 57kg)
The 23-year-old, Olympic debutant Ravi Kumar Dahiya claimed silver as he lost the menโs 57kg freestyle wrestling final against a two-time world champion Zavur Uguev of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with a scoreline of 7-4.
PV Sindhu (Bronze, Badminton – Womenโs Singles)
The reigning world champion & 2016 Rio silver medalist, PV Sindhu entered Tokyo Olympics with hopes to better the Rio Olympics medal. The Indian shuttler was in her best form, made her presence felt at the 2020 Tokyo Games having won all the matches leading up to the semifinal in two straight games. With a tough draw, she was stopped at the semis by the eventual silver medalist Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei.
Then the ace Indian shuttler won bronze in style as she defeated He Bingjiao of China 21-13, 21-15. By doing so Sindhu became the 1st Indian female athlete to ever win two individual Olympic medals.
Lovlina Borgohain (Bronze, Boxing – Women’s Welterweight)
Another 23-year-old on this list is, boxer Lovlina Borgohain competing at her maiden Olympics. She was assured of a medal as she reached the semifinals after beating Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei. In the semifinal of the women’s welterweight, she lost the match to Turkeyโs Busenaz Surmeneli 0-5 and had to settle with a bronze medal as in boxing both losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze.
Bajrang Punia (Bronze, Wrestling – Men’s freestyle 65kg)
The 27-year-old wrestler Bajrang Punia, making his debut appearance at the biggest sporting event won the bronze medal as he defeated Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan 8-0 in the 65kg freestyle wrestling bronze medal bout.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team (Bronze)
The 41-Years wait finally ended for the Indian Menโs Hockey Team as they won a bronze medal after defeating Germany 5-4 in an exciting match played on Thursday. With this medal, it is Indiaโs 12th medal at the Olympics in menโs hockey.
That feeling โฆ. Wow ๐คฉ #unbelievable #olympic #bronze #medal #hockey pic.twitter.com/KR1g9rRAV4
— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) August 7, 2021
Also Read: Know About The Youngest Medalists And Gold Medalist Ever At The Olympic Gamesย