Rio Olympics 2016: India to start with a bang

New Delhi: With little luck, India can start the 2016 Rio Olympics with a bang. On the second day of competition itself, on 6 August, as many as four Indian athletes will compete for medals in their respective events.

Jitu Rai, one of India's biggest hopes, will compete in Men's 10m air pistol. It's not his favourite, but the Army shooter has won medals at various ISSF World Cups.

In the women's 10m air rifle event, Apurvi Chandela and Ayonika Paul, will keep Indian interests alive. Chandela is the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion, while Paul settled for silver medal at Glasgow.

Both the 23-year-olds can do India proud by producing a strong performance.

Then, we have Saikhom Mirabai Chanu competing in women's 48kg event. The Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medallist finds herself in top bracket in Rio with dominant China sending only on lifter, in Hou Zhihui.

Her competition will be from Zhihui, Dominican Beatriz Piron, Indonesian Sri Wahyuni Agustiani and 2012 London silver medallist Hiromi Miyake of Japan.