India's rise to sports super power is now inevitable after smashing performance in Asian Games

India has evolved in the field of sports in the last few years. Indian athletes have made the country proud and claimed glory in sports such as Hockey, Badminton, Chess, Wrestling and Athletics in the last two to three years. However, Hockey, Badminton and Wrestling have given India medals in the Olympics and various world sporting events, but Athletics, Shooting, Tennis and Chess have been some sports where India has evolved a lot in the past few years and the same performance was reflected in the recently concluded 2022 Asian Games. The Indian fans expected medals in sports such as Hockey and Wrestling, but it was Athletics and Shooting, which dominated India's medals tally in the Asian Games 2022 with 29 and 22 medals respectively. 

3 things you need to know 

• India won a total of 107 medals in the Asian Games 2022 held in Hangzhou
• India's Asian Games 2022 medals tally included a total of 28 gold medals 
• This was India's best-ever performance at the Asian Games and they crossed the 100-medal mark for the first time at the Asiad 

How is India's Asian Games glory predicting a golden future at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

India won a record seven medals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which also included a gold in the Javelin throw by India's ‘golden boy’ Neeraj Chopra. This was India's first-ever gold medal in the track and field category and also the first-ever gold for India at the Olympics in any category. However, Neeraj showed other aspiring Indian athletes the way and path towards glory. Since then India has been the epicentre of attraction in almost every sporting event. The recent incident is of R Praggnanandhaa, who was almost on the verge of winning the Chess World Cup but lost to Magnus Carlsen. India also won a lot of medals in Shooting in the past few years and has shown significant growth in sports such as Swimming, Football, Tennis and many more events. With the Paris Olympics just one year away, India is expected to win a lot more medals in the upcoming global event. 

Even Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha believes that India can win multiple medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics and its time for India to bid for the multisport global event. PT Usha said while speaking to PTI: 

After this record-breaking performance in the Hangzhou Asian Games, if our country's athletes, coaches and national federations work hard, I feel we can win double digit medals in the Paris Olympics. We should bid for the 2036 Olympics. I am sure India will win more medals in the Paris Olympics than in Tokyo, and then, with the medals to show, we can host the Olympics. 

While IOA chief wants India to bid for 2036 Olympics, Indian Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra thinks that he is yet to reach his full potential and believes that the country has improved a lot in Athletics. Neeraj Chopra said during a media interaction: 

I’m sure there'll be one more javelin thrower who will make the cut too. We did a 1-2 here. My dream is to see three Indian javelin throwers on the podium of a big event. We have improved a lot and athletes from other countries are feeling that India has arrived. On me personally, I have the World Championship, silver in Diamond League and now a gold in the Asian Games, I am very happy. 
 

(Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty after winning men's doubles gold medal at the Asian Games 2022 / Image: PTI)

How can Athletics become the biggest game changer for India at the Paris Olympics? 

India finished fourth in the Asian Games 2022 medals and made a statement on the world stage by winning 107 medals. India proved their dominance in sports such as Badminton, Kabaddi, Tennis and Wrestling. Apart from these events, Athletics was a major boost for India in the 2022 Asiad and helped the country achieve its goal of winning 100 medals. However, India showed their dominance in Athletics at the 2023 World Championships when out of the top six Javelin throwers three were Indians. These included Neeraj Chopra, who won the gold medal, whereas Kishore Jena and DP Manu finished in the 5th and 6th place. Long distance runner Avinash Sable has also won medals in the long-distance running whereas India's 4x100m relay team will also be India's medal prospect in the Paris Olympics.