CWG 2022: Who is India's most successful athlete in the history of Commonwealth Games?

The Commonwealth Games 2022 begins in Birmingham, England in less than a week’s time, scheduled to kick off on July 28 and continue till August 18. India has been a regular appearance in the coveted tournament and have featured in every edition, barring the 1930, 1950, 1962, and 1986 editions. While the Team India squads in different sports discipline continue to arrive in Birmingham for the upcoming event, let’s have a look at who is the nation’s most decorated athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games 2022. 

Since debuting at the quadrennial showpiece in 1934, India has won a total of 503 medals at Commonwealth Games, which includes 181 gold, 173 silver and 149 bronze medals. Interestingly, 231 out of the 503 medals have come in the last three editions of the tournament. India’s best performance at the mega event was witnessed in 2010 when the Indian athletes returned with 101 medals across disciplines and finished 2nd in the medal tally for the first and final time. 

Know who is India's most successful athlete at the CWG

By far, India’s most successful athlete at the CWG is undoubtedly shooter Jaspal Rana, who has won nine gold medals, four silver medals and two bronze medals in his career at the event. He made a stunning debut at the CWG Victoria, British Columbia in 1994, by returning with a silver medal in the 10m Air Pistol Men's event, a bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Pair’s event, a gold in the Centre Fire Pistol Men’s event and another gold in the Centre Fire Pistor Men Pair’s event. He then replicated his performance on his CWG debut in his 2nd appearance as well.

Making his 2nd CWG appearance in 1998 at Kula Lumpur, Malaysia, Rana went to win the silver medal in the 10m Air Pistol Men's event, finished 2nd in the 10m Air Pistol Pair's event, and also earned two gold medals in Centre Fire Pistol Men's and Centre Fire Pistol Men Pair's events, respectively. 

Jaspal Rana won six medals at CWG 2002

During the CWG 2002 in Manchester England, Rana added another bronze to his tally by finishing 3rd in the 0m Air Pistol Men's event. This followed another silver medal in the 10m Air Pistol Pair's event, a gold medal in 25m Standard Pistol Men's event, and yet another gold in the 25m Standard Pistol Men’s event. At the same time, he also picked up two more gold in the Centre Fire Pistol Men's and Centre Fire Pistol Men Pair's events, before ending his most successful campaign at the Commonwealth Games.

In his final appearance at the Commonwealth Games in 2006, in Melbourne Australia, Rana earned a gold medal in the Centre Fire Pistol Men Pair’s event. It is pertinent to mention that shooting veteran Samaresh Jung follows Rana in the list of top medal winners from India in the CWG, with 14 to his tally. Meanwhile, India is sending a 322-strong contingent for the CWG 2022 in Birmingham, which includes 215 athletes and 107 officials and support staff. 

(Image: @WeAreTeamIndia/Twitter)