Recent form of the Medal Prospects for India at the London Olympics
As the London Olympics are approaching the Indian players who have qualified are practicing day in and day out to win the prestigious Olympic medal for their country. All the players who have qualified are capable of winning the medal at the big games but their chances of winning the medal depend a lot on their recent forms. Here is a list of some of the medal prospects with their current forms
1. India’s women recurve team
Women’s Recurve Archery Team, who qualified for the London Olympics during the World Championships in Turin in July 2011, are in superb form over the past few months. After winning the Silver Medal in the last year’s World Championships they competed in the World Cup Stage 3 at Ogden, USA in Aug 2011 and won the Silver medal and in the World Cup stage – 4 grabbed the Gold Medal. In the Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok in Feb 2012 Indian Women’s Recurve Team won the Silver Medal after losing to China in the finals. They participated in the World Cup Stage-1 in China in April 2012. There also they entered the finals but eventually lost to World no.1 Korea in the Gold Medal match. Indian women’s team, who are currently World no 2, are surely a huge medal prospect at the London Olympics.
MEDAL CHANCES-EXCELLENT
2.India’s men recurve team
Indian men’s recurve team, who qualified for the Olympics recently, are also in quite good form. Their performances in the year 2012 are quite remarkable. They participated in the Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok in Feb 2012 and won the Silver medal after losing to France in the Finals. However, in the World Cup stage-1 in China in April 2012, they were outclassed by the World Champions USA in the quarterfinals but after that tournament they participated in World Cup Stage-2 and World Cup Stage-3 and entered the finals of both the Tournaments. In World Cup stage-2 in Antalya, Turkey in May 2012 they lost to Great Britain in the finals and in the recently concluded World Cup Stage-3 lost to USA. But to reach the finals of World Cup Stages is almost like reaching the finals in the Olympics. So if they can keep up their performances in the upcoming Olympics then they can surely make our country proud by winning the medal. After their performance in the World Cup Stage-3 they have jumped 1 spot in the World Rankings and are now World no 4.
MEDAL CHANCES-EXCELLENT
3. Saina Nehwal (badminton)
Saina Nehwal or popularly called as ‘Super Saina’ is one of the best medal prospect for India at the London Olympics. Saina Nehwal, who recently won the Indonesian Super Series Premier by defeating Xuerui Li of China in the finals, is in excellent form this year. After winning the Swiss Open Grand Prix in March, Saina Nehwal won the Thailand Open before winning the Indonesia Open. Saina’s start to the year 2012 was not that good as she lost in the quarterfinals of the First Super series event of the year, the Victor Korea Open. Also in the All England Badminton Championships in March 2012, she lost in the quarterfinals. But that’s all in the past now and her form in the last couple of months has been excellent. Saina Nehwal, who is currently World no.5, have to give her best to beat the Chinese shuttlers if she wants to clinch the Gold Medal.
MEDAL CHANCES-EXCELLENT
4. MC Mary Kom (women’s boxing)
Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom or simply Mary Kom is a five time World Champion and the current Asian Champion. Mary Kom, who qualified for the London Olympics during the Women’s World Boxing Championships in China, is the only female boxer who qualified for the London Olympics. Mary Kom will be going to Liverpool in July for her final practice before the Olympics. She had a pretty decent 2012 – she won the Gold Medal in the Asian Championships in March 2012 by defeating the current World Champion Ren Cancan of China. However, she lost to Nicole Adams of England in the quarterfinals of Women’s World Boxing Championships and was unable to clinch her 6th World Championship title. Looking at her recent form, she is surely a big medal prospect for India. Her main competitors are Ren Cancan of China and Nicole Adams of England and if she wants to clinch the yellow metal she has to defeat these two world class boxers.
MEDAL CHANCES-EXCELLENT
5. Abhinav Bindra (shooting)
The 2008 Beijing Olympics Gold Medalist Abhinav Bindra kicked off 2012 in style. He won the Gold medal in the Asian Championships which were held in Doha in January. But after that he had a very disappointing World Championships in Great Britain in April where he didn’t even qualify for the finals. The story was repeated in the World Cup In Italy where he finished 42nd out of the total 99 shooters. After the World Cup in Italy he participated in the World Cup in Germany and finished 14th overall. So he is not in the best of the form but we all know what a world class shooter he is and world champions never look back. So we all hope he will make our country proud once again at the London Olympics.
MEDAL CHANCES-GOOD
6.Gagan Narang (shooting)
Gagan Narang, who won 4 Gold Medals at the CWG in 2010, will participate in 3 events in the upcoming London Olympics – 10m air rifle, 50m 3 positions and the 50m prone. His main event is the 10m air rifle men and he has got a better chance of winning the medal in that. In the Asian Championships at Doha, he finished 4th. At the World Championships in Great Britain he finished 12th. He finished 20th in the World Cup in Italy and 9th in the Germany World Cup. In his second main event, which is 50m rifle 3 position men, he finished 3rd at the Asian Championships, 33rd at the World Championships, 26th in the Italy World Cup and 21st in the Germany World Cup. But this Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award winner has got lots of experience and skills in this game. So if he is at his best then its almost impossible to stop a player like him.
MEDAL CHANCES-GOOD
7. Deepika Kumari (women’s recurve individual)
Deepika Kumari, who jumped to no.1 spot in the latest rankings in the Women’s Recurve Individual event, is also a huge medal prospect for India at the upcoming Olympics. This world no 1. archer had an outstanding 2011 and an exceptional 2012. Deepika won the silver medal at the World Cup finals in Turkey last year. World Cup finals is an event where only top 8 archers of the world compete. In the World Cup Stage-1 in China in April 2012 Deepika lost in the quarterfinals to the Korean archer. In May 2012, Deepika Kumari won her first World Cup individual recurve gold medal at Antalya, Turkey. Deepika Kumari,18, is also a Former Junior World Cadet Champion and the winner of 11th Youth World Archery Championships. It will be a big achievment for her if she wins Gold at the age of 18.
MEDAL CHANCES-EXCELLENT
8.Vikas Krishnan (Boxing)
Vikas Krishan, a boxer from Bhiwani Haryana, became the 2nd Indian boxer after Vijender Singh to win the medal at the World Championships.Vikas, who won the Gold Medal at the Asian Games in 2010, won the bronze medal at the AIBA World Boxing championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last year. His form in 2012 has been quite decent. He won the Bronze Medal at the 43rd Men’s and Women’s Boxing Grand Prix in Czech Republic in March but lost in the quarterfinals of the President Cup. Vikas Krishan, currently the World no.2nd in 69kg wt. category, is also a World Youth Amateur Boxing Champion.
MEDAL CHANCES-VERY GOOD
9. Shiva Thapa (Boxing)
Shiva Thapa qualified for the London Olympics during the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April 2012 and became the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics. Shiva bagged the Gold Medal at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers by defeating Syria’s Wessam Salamana.Shiva also won the Silver medal at the 43rd Men’s and Women’s Boxing Grand Prix in Czech Republic in March but lost in the quarterfinals of President cup but nevertheless this teenage boxer has a lot of potential,talent and skill by which he can defeat some of the world’s best.Let’s hope that he will perform well at the London Olympics and will give a Podium finish.
MEDAL CHANCES-GOOD
10. Indian Hockey Team
Indian Hockey team, who were unable to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, qualified for the London Olympics during the FIH Olympic Qualifiers at Delhi in February this year. The Indian Hockey team defeated France in the finals by 8-1 and hence booked their berth for the London Olympics. India also won the bronze medal in the recently concluded Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament by defeating World No.4 Great Britain. Before this tournament, the Indians participated in the 4 Nations Hockey Tournament in Great Britain where they didn’t perform up to the mark and finished 4th. This was the first time the Indian team was playing on the Blue turf, the turf where the hockey matches in Olympics will take place. But they made a remarkable comeback in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. India, currently World no 10, is placed in Group B along with Netherlands, Germany, Korea, Belgium and New Zealand. Only the top 2 teams from each group will make it to the next round so if the Indian Team wants to get a Podium finish then they have to perform remarkably well to get past these very strong teams.
MEDAL CHANCES-GOOD
