Commonwealth Games 2022

Mirabai Chanu's silver medal at Tokyo 2020 was only the second Olympic medal by an Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari won bronze in 2000 at Sydney Olympics. Chanu also became only the second Indian woman after PV Sindhu to win an Olympic silver medal. Though India won an extra medal in weightlifting at CWG 2022, what would rankle the Indian officials is that India could win only three gold medals from Birmingham as compared to five at Gold Coast, but fans are expecting a better show from the Mirabai Chanu-led team in the Paris Olympics.

What gives them the confidence to entertain such a dream is the fact that the country bagged 61 medals, just a few short of the 66 it had bagged at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in 2018, without any contribution from shooting, which was not included in the Birmingham Games. The shooters had contributed 16 medals to India's Gold Coast tally of 66, and the fact that we came so close to matching it in Birmingham proves that Indian athletes have made great progress in other sports too and portends to a good haul in Paris.

This medal was significantly special for Indian youngster Sangita Kumari because it was her maiden appearance in the prestigious tournament. When asked about the same, the 20-year-old said, "It is a special feeling to return home with a medal. There are plenty of festivities back home. Everyone in my village is so happy and excited, they tell me it is a proud moment for Jharkhand.

Bhavani Devi scripted history by becoming the lone Indian fencer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics after she reached the quarter-final of the 2020 Fencing World Cup in Hungary. She qualified through the adjusted Official Ranking Method (AOR). At Tokyo Olympics 2020, she won her opening match against Tunisia's Nadia Ben Azizi.

PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and Chirag Shetty were on Wednesday welcomed by supporters and family members with bouquets at the Hyderabad airport early after they returned from Birmingham. India finished its Commonwealth Games 2022 campaign at fourth position with 61 medals (22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze).

Manpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian men's hockey team, said they should have put the Aussies under more pressure, open up the other flank, reduce the pace and defend well so that opportunities for counterattack could be created. Manpreet gave an insight into what his team could have done well in hindsight after Australia thrashed India 7-0 in the final at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games here.

The athletes walked in a random parade to music. The Indian contingent, comprising mostly of officials and some athletes like members of the TT squad, was led by flagbearers boxer Nikhat Zareen and top shuttler Sharad Kamal. The ceremony, which celebrates the success of 11 days of sporting action that encouraged sportspersons to compete in the spirit of sportsmanship to test their strength, stamina and endurance, had the athletes grooving to the music, letting their hair down to end a two-week journey which they completed with all seriousness. The Games were declared closed by Earl of Wessex on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen.

The Indians who had reached the final for the first time since 2014, had to be satisfied with the silver medal as they found the Aussies too strong to handle and quietly accepted the spanking, coming close only on a few occasions to trouble the rival goalkeeper. England took the bronze medal with a 6-3 win over South Africa, the surprise semifinalists who reached the last four at the expense of New Zealand.

Sharath defeated England's Liam Pitchford 11-13, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8 to win his second men's singles gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, 16 years after he won in the event in Melbourne 2006 edition. Earlier in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Sharath won a gold medal in the men's team event, and followed it up with a silver in men's doubles and another gold in mixed doubles.

"A shortlist of flag-bearers was drawn up by IOA secretary-general Rajeev Mehta, acting president Anil Khanna, and India's Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games chef de mission Rajesh Bhandari, with gold medallists from the wrestling and weightlifting teams also considered. The final decision was made by Mehta and Khanna.