From Mirabai Chanu to Avinash Sable, a recap of India’s 61 medals at Birmingham Video games

When the pre-event predictions had been taking place for Commonwealth Video games 2022, there was one concern concerning the Indian contingent. What is going to the influence be on the medal tally of lacking out on 16 medals from one sport? At 2018 Gold Coast, India had gained seven gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze from capturing occasions alone within the complete of 66 medals total. However on the finish of Birmingham 2022, regardless of capturing’s absence, India reached a tally of 61 medals to complete with a stable displaying.

CWG 2022, medal tally: India end fourth total with 61 medals – 22 gold, 16 silver, 23 bronze

Right here’s a recap of the medals gained by India sport by sport, with particular moments highlighted.

(Observe: The pictures are in a carousel, use arrows left and proper to view all)

Weightlifting

There is just one place to begin this recap: the game that gave India the primary medal of the Video games in addition to the primary gold medal. The weightlifters, like in 2018, opened the account for India and delivered on expectations that they sometimes carry at CWG.

For Mirabai Chanu, the most important competitor was herself on the Commonwealth Video games. It was Mirabai vs Mirabai as we had written on these pages within the preview and she or he delivered in model.

Sanket Sargar clinched India’s first medal of the video games and it has been fairly the journey for him from Sangli to Birmingham. The sight of him ending the occasion with an elbow damage was bittersweet however he appeared decided to convey residence the gold and took a threat.

Jeremy Lalrinnunga had made historical past on the Youth Olympic Video games by changing into the primary particular person gold medallist from India however the experience hasn’t been clean since with damage worries. The gold in Birmingham was hard-earned and hopefully the beginning of higher issues on the senior circuit

India’s third gold medal in weightlifting got here from Achinta Sheuli. He has been weaving his personal path to gold in Birmingham. And, as he stated after his gold, he doesn’t wish to cease right here.

Vikas Thakur stored up his tremendous document on the Commonwealth Video games, profitable a 3rd medal in his profession, this time silver in males’s 96kg. His celebration was memorable too with the thigh-five on stage.

There was bronze medals for P Gururaja, Harjinder Kaur, Lovepreet Singh and Gurdeep Singh that noticed India end prime of the weightlifting standings with 10 medals total.

And earlier than we transfer on, a beautiful gesture by Samoa’s veteran Vaipava Nevo Ioane to place the garland round Jeremy Lalrinnunga’s neck as a mark of friendship.

Para Powerlifting

It got here actually late within the evening in India, nevertheless it was a particular medal as Sudhir created historical past in Para Powerlifting for India at CWG.

Garden Bowls

Rupa Rani Tirkey. Pinki Nayanmoni Saikia. Beautiful Choubey

How particular was that? A bunch of girls made us study a sport once they created historical past by reaching the ultimate. After which they then went one step additional to win gold.

After the ladies, the boys’s fours staff too reached the ultimate as Sunil Bahadur, Navneet Singh, Chandan Kumar Singh and Dinesh Kumar bagged silver

Additionally learn: CWG 2022, Garden Bowls defined: What’s the goal and the way are factors scored?

Judo

Judoka Shushila Devi Likmabam added Birmingham 2022 silver to her Glasgow 2014 silver.

Then got here Tulika Maan, who actually wished that gold medal. You could possibly see how devastated she was on the finish of her remaining. It was a troublesome journey for her to Birmingham. And she or he completed with a silver medal she could be pleased with.

Vijay Kumar Yadav overcame defeat to win bronze medal by repechage as Indian judokas added three medals to India’s tally.

Squash

Earlier than CWG started, Saurav Ghosal spoke to Scroll.in about how pushed he was so as to add some golden gloss to his assortment. The place on prime of the rostrum was to not be however he created historical past when he turned the primary singles medallist ever from India at CWG in squash. The feelings on the finish confirmed what it meant to him

Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal Karthik then mixed to win the blended doubles bronze, reiterating their standing as two of one of the best squash gamers India has produced. For Dipika, the medal was one other feather in her cap after returning to the game from a maternity break.

Loads of medals to discuss all through this text howeverhow thrilling was it to see Anahat Singh in motion? An incredible expertise for the longer term because the 14-year-old impressed on her debut.

Boxing

In the direction of the top of her remaining, the commentator stated Nikhat Zareen is “very, very particular”. Certainly so. Throughout 5 bouts at World Championships and the 4 at CWG, she gained each bout by both unanimous 5-0 or referee stopped contest (one). Sheer dominance by the world champion.

After what he had gone by in Tokyo and since, solely gold medal would have glad Amit Panghal at CWG. He was a favorite and he lived as much as it with scientific, dominant wins. Yet one more step in his comeback path.

And keep in mind the identify: Nitu Ghanghas. Everybody who noticed her battle, may say this might be the beginning of one thing particular. Successful gold at CWG is one factor, however profitable the best way she did… it’s a must to sit up and take discover.

Sagar Ahlawat is a showman and he thrilled on his strategy to the ultimate. One other boxer who left his mark with how he fought his bouts extra than simply the outcomes.

With bronze medals for Rohit Tokas, Mohammed Hussamuddin and Jaismine Lamboria, India completed because the second finest contingent in boxing on the Video games, behind solely Northern Eire

Wrestling

When wrestlers entered the fray, medal rush was assured for India.

On Day 1, Bajrang Punia and Deepak Punia delivered gold as anticipated. And the spotlight was the very good Sakshi Malik comeback. Not simply on the mat within the remaining when she got here again from 0-4 right down to win by fall, but additionally a comeback after her current struggles within the sport.

Day 1 additionally noticed younger Anshu Malik proceed to impress on the worldwide stage as she gained silver. Divya Kakran and Mohit Grewal stored up India’s hope for 12/12 as soon as once more, profitable bronze.

Day 2 of wrestling noticed two extra Indian superstars dwell as much as their billing. Ravi Kumar Dahiya was at his dominant finest and Vinesh Phogat obtained a lift to her confidence after a troublesome time in Tokyo and since.

Whereas Ravi and Vinesh delivered gold as anticipated, one identify to look ahead to sooner or later is Naveen. The teen dominated his strategy to India’s sixth wrestling gold medal

After which it was a query of whether or not India will end with a 100% strike charge. Pooja Gehlot, Pooja Sihag and Deepak Nehra gained bronze as India repeated their GC-2018 feat. Each India and Canada had 12/12, however India took prime spot on account of extra gold medals.

CWG 2022, Wrestling: Bajrang Punia eyes World C’ships after profitable gold in Birmingham

CWG 2022, Wrestling: Vinesh Phogat receives a ‘confidence increase’, Ravi Kumar wins a ‘particular’ gold

Cricket

Cricket made a return to CWG after 1998 and there have been some implausible matches at Edgbaston, together with an exhilarating (albeit heartbreaking from India’s perspective) remaining. A silver medal to construct on for Harmanpreet Kaur and Co whereas Australia continued their all-conquering dominance below Meg Lanning. From India’s perspective, Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh Thakur had been the gamers who stood out with some sensational performances.

Desk tennis and Para Desk Tennis

Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist Bhavina Patel delivered on pre-event expectations by profitable ladies’s singles Para Desk Tennis. She dropped only one sport in complete, the primary one she performed on the occasion. It was a dominant efficiency from thereon for the highest seed. Girls’s singles Lessons 3-5 produced a kind of memorable podium scenes with two Indians current as Sonal Patel gained bronze.

The primary of many Desk Tennis medals got here from the boys’s staff. Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan Harmeet Desai and Sanil Shetty got here collectively to defend their title. As Sharath stated later, it was much more spectacular how dominant they had been.

Watch: Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan on India’s ‘dominating’ CWG 2022 triumph in TT males’s staff occasion

After silver in 2018 it was one other silver in 2022 as in a repeat of the Gold Coast thriller, Sharath Kamal and Sathiyan capped off a very good doubles run with one other thriller in opposition to the identical English pair of Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford. (However the Indians can have their time quickly in opposition to the Englishmen).

Most of us can agree that one in all India’s most memorable gold medals on the Video games got here from Sharath Kamal and Sreeja Akula’s very good run in blended doubles. India’s first ever blended doubles TT gold in CWG was a rollercoaster experience as Sharath picked up Sreeja, actually and metaphorically, on a couple of events on their strategy to the title. Sreeja had a breakthrough-plus-heartbreaking marketing campaign and it was becoming that she completed with a gold medal round her neck and smiles on her face.

After which got here the thrilling climax. Males’s singles. First up, Sathiyan. He had advised Scroll.in in an interview that profitable a singles medal was one in all predominant objectives at CWG. He delivered with a nerve-wracking, emotional win within the bronze medal match. From 3-0 to 3-3 after which from 8-9 down… it introduced out tears.

Lastly, the star of the present for India. After gold in 2006 Melbourne, it was gold once more in 2022 for Sharath Kamal. 16 years after he turned the boys’s singles champion in Melbourne, the veteran was again on prime of the rostrum. He saved one of the best for final, defeating world No 20 Liam Pitchford with an excellent efficiency.

Enjoying match after match, the veteran delivered in some model. As he put it, his finest ever CWG marketing campaign. Age, in spite of everything, is only a quantity for him.

Achanta Sharath Kamal works extra off the desk to excel on it

Sharath Kamal (through Twitter): Stuffed with gratitude and happiness on one other Commonwealth Video games, and likewise my finest one. Having gained a Gold Medal within the staff occasion, adopted it with a Silver Medal within the Males’s Doubles, Gold Medal within the Combined Doubles and eventually a Gold Medal within the Singles. The outdated adage that age is only a quantity hasn’t been any more true. The wealthy expertise and the flexibility to deal with strain effectively, and all of the expertise gathered over my profession has helped me obtain this feat. I wish to thank my household, mates and supporters who’ve confirmed such religion in me and showered me with their love, blessings and needs. Thanks to my staff for being right here with me, operating issues easily regardless of the time constraints and stress. This one’s for the nation, a tribute to our mighty nation in all its golden glory, a real celebration of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav! Jai Hind

Badminton

Badminton blended staff occasion noticed India register a tremendous win in opposition to Singapore in semifinal. The ultimate was a sequence of high-quality contests that Malaysia gained to reclaim gold. It was a tremendous silver for India however there was extra to return…

Enjoying a bronze medal match on the identical day after semifinal defeats is just not straightforward, however Srikanth Kidambi and Treesa-Gayatri bounced again to complete on the rostrum. For Srikanth, it wasn’t the color of medal he would have wished however he made it back-to-back podium finishes on the Video games and simply couldn’t discover a well beyond an impressed Ng Tze Yong (who had surprised world champion Loh Kean Yew too within the earlier spherical). For the pair of 19-year-olds, the draw was such that bronze would have been a minimal expectation however they shouldered tasks effectively and confirmed indicators of the promise they’ve held.

After which got here the gold rush…

PV Sindhu added the elusive CWG ladies’s singles gold medal to her glittering assortment. Evidently not 100% match, she fought by three straight powerful knockout matches to complete prime of podium. She then spoke about she had waited a very long time for this gold medal and she or he has now accomplished the CWG Set.

“I’m so tremendous completely happy, I’ve been ready for this Commonwealth Video games gold for a very long time now and I’ve lastly performed it,” Sindhu advised BWF stated after closing out a 21-15 21-13 win within the remaining.

“I feel it was essential to be very focussed and to remain in rhythm. We all know one another’s sport. There are not any straightforward factors so despite the fact that I used to be main I simply made positive I used to be very focussed.”

What a season Lakshya Sen is having. India Open title. All England runner-up. Thomas Cup champion. And now CWG males’s singles gold medallist. He too needed to battle exhausting in opposition to Tze Yong within the remaining however produced a stirring comeback to take the match in three video games.

And eventually, not for the primary time of their careers, Satwik-Chirag went the place no Indian males’s doubles pair had gone earlier than, profitable the first-ever CWG gold medal in males’s doubles badminton for India.

How about that for a CV, eh?

Reminder, for those who want, that PV Sindhu turned 27 solely final month.

Hockey

Defeating Australia males’s hockey staff within the remaining stays an not possible job at CWG. However a freak remaining aside, a marketing campaign with positives for Manpreet Singh and Co. Indian males had been again on the rostrum after lacking out in 2018.

What a journey it has been for the Indian ladies’s hockey staff. As nice as Tokyo was, a 4th-place end was so close to but up to now. Then got here a troublesome HWC 2022. However at CWG, Savita Punia and Co made positive they received on the rostrum. An outstanding medal particularly to bounce again from the heartbreak in opposition to Australia. It was the ladies’s first CWG medal since 2006.

And the way nice was this, eh?

Athletics

And eventually… on to trace and subject.

Will he? Received’t he? Will he? After a chaotic build-up to the Video games, Tejaswin Shankar discovered calm at Birmingham. He turned the primary Indian ever to win a excessive leap medal at CWG, clinching bronze.

In an exhilarating males’s lengthy leap remaining, below strain, M Sreeshankar got here up with a clutch fifth leap. He missed gold by the SMALLEST doable margin however a silver is one of the best ever end result by a male lengthy jumper in CWG for India.

Priyanka Goswami and Sandeep Kumar not simply completed with medals, but additionally new Private Bests in Girls’s 10,000m Race Stroll and Males’s 10,000m Race Stroll

Annu Rani, the Indian nationwide document holder, and two-time World Championships finalist, completed with India’s first ever ladies’s javelin throw medal at CWG.

And males’s triple leap gave us unforgettable moments. Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker produced photographs that Indian athletics followers will keep in mind for a very long time profitable gold and silver. Praveen Chitravel, in actual fact, was shut to creating it 1-2-3.

And eventually, males’s 3000m steeplechase.

From 1998, the boys’s 3000m steeplechase podium at CWG was: Kenya-Kenya-Kenya.

In 2022, the boys’s 3000m steeplechase podium at CWG was: Kenya-India-Kenya.

With one other Nationwide File. Avinash Mukund Sable produced arguably the one finest efficiency by an Indian athlete at these Video games.

This end to Sable’s race is one thing we is not going to be forgetting anytime quickly. (Watch with commentary on!)

Bonus viewing

This edit by Sony Sports activities Community, wanting again at India’s marketing campaign, is value your time: