Tokyo Olympics rewind: India sign off with best-ever medal tally and promise of brighter future

Tokyo Olympics rewind: India sign off with best-ever medal tally

India finished the Tokyo Olympics campaign with seven medals, thus surpassing previous best tally of six that the country had achieved back in 2012 in London. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu opened India's account early with the Games being just one day old and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra ended the show on a stellar note, bagging India's first gold in Tokyo, thus ending an over 100-year wait for a medal in athletics. 

The hockey team, both men's and the women, also made the nation proud. While Manpreet Singh and his unit ended a 41-year-long medal drought, Rani Rampal's brigade finished fourth, the best by any Indian women's hockey team at the Olympics. 

In wrestling there was both delight and disappointment as two muscled their way to Olympic medals, while Vinesh Phogat, a top contender, bowed out at the quarters. 

Mirabai lifts India to powerful start

If we look closely at India's campaign in Tokyo, one would see it was as much a story of human resilience as of sporting excellence. Mirabai, who has come through a lot of hardships, lifted a total of 202 kg in her category to ensure a silver, thus potraying a perfect story of hardwork always paying off in the end.  

In her moment of glory, the phenomenal weightlifter was a personification of perseverance. She had left the same stage in tears and dejection five years ago, failing to log a single legal lift.

Shooters misfire at big stage

However, what followed next was despair as India failed to make further addition in their medal tally with our shooters misfiring when it mattered the most. The top contenders bowed out without making an impact, the biggest disappointment being the 15-strong shooting contingent.

A lot many questions about their preparations came up after only one, Saurabh Chaudhary, managed to make the finals and none could get on the podium. Nobody had a clear answer as to what went wrong even as stories of factionalism, ego battles and petty differences began to crop up from different corners. 

History makers

And just when it felt that the strong Indian contingent had hit the disaster note and would not be able to recover, champions started coming one after the other.

The pugilist from Assam Lovlina Borgohain ensured India it's second medal and a day later ace shuttler and world number seven PV Sindhu scripted history by becoming the first Indian women athlete to finish on the podium for the second time at Olympics. 

The seasoned Hyderabadi shuttler bagged bronze and while she was at it, the two hockey teams also showed stomach for fight after early setbacks.

The 23-year-old from Assam ended with a bronze on August 4 as women got down to the task of rebuilding momentum in the Indian camp. And it worked out quite spectacularly. 

Then came the wrestlers and with it came Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who missed out from gold, but became just the second Indian wrestler to clinch a silver at the Games.

Meanwhile, amidst the individual events Manpreet Singh and his inspired teammates scripted a comeback to remember against Germany in the play-off to sow the seeds of hockey's resurgence in the country for a generation that grew up hearing tales of greatness while watching a painful slump in the sport. There were tears, joy, nostalgia and above all a sense of renewed pride because hockey was India's sport before it declined and cricket took over the mind space.

The stage seemed set for a grand finale and it was with Neeraj Chopra's javelin striking gold, India's first in 13 years overall and the first in athletics.

Bajrang Punia's resolve paid off for him with a bronze on the wrestling mat as the debutant grudgingly accepted the medal after falling out of the expected gold medal contention.

Then there were those who were hit by the curse of the fourth-place finish. Their agony was a story in itself as golfer Aditi Ashok and the women's hockey team ended within touching distance of the podium but not quite there. 

- with PTI inputs