London Olympics 2012 and Indian players in Top 5

The London Olympics are now just 5 months away and all those players who have qualified or those who are still working hard to qualify have only one dream : to win the most prestigious medal – the Olympic medal for their country.How many medals will India grab in London Olympics? Yes this is the question which many of us would be thinking,well its a bit difficult to answer this question but it is always a common notion that the players who are in top 5 or top 10 in the World Rankings have a strong chance to win the medal at the Olympics. There are some Indian players who are in the top 5 of the world rankings and stand a strong chance.

1- ARCHERY(Women’s Recurve Team)

Indian women recurve archers trio of Deepika Kumari,Laishram Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro who had a world ranking of 2, have a great chance of winning the gold medal at the upcoming Olympics. Indians are currently at the second spot after the world champions Korea. The trio who qualified for the Olympic games last year have already stunned the Champions Korea in the semifinals of  World Cup at Italy in 2011. Their major achievements include the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi, gold medal at the World Cup Stage 4  in China in 2011, silver medal at World Cup Stage 3 in USA in 2011, bronze medal at World Cup Stage 2 in Turkey in 2011 and silver medal at the Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok in 2012.The three girls have vast experience at the International level and if each of them give their best at the Olympics, then no team can stand in front of them and they can make 1.2 billion people proud by winning the gold at the highest level.

2-BADMINTON(Saina Nehwal)

Extremely talented, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award winner – shuttler Saina Nehwal, with a world ranking of 4 has already made our country proud by winning some of the top tournaments in the world of Badminton. Saina who is a former World Junior Champion and world no. 2 a year back is surely a big big medal hope for India in London Olympics. Saina Nehwal who is  also supported by Olympic Gold Quest has also a brown belt in Karate. In the upcoming Olympics, if Saina wants to win the medal then she has to work very hard against to overcome the tough Chinese Competition. Over the past few months, Saina’s performance against the Chinese shuttlers has not been that impressive but who knows, the Indian Wonder Girl might just create a major upset at the London 2012 and end the Chinese domination by having the top finish at the podium.

3-BOXING(M.C. Marykom)

Mangte Chungneijang Marykom or M.C. Marykom is currently the world no 1. boxer in the Women’s 48 kg wt category. Marykom who is also known as ’Magnificent Mary’ in the world of Boxing is a proud mother of two children. Supported by Olympic Gold Quest, she is also the 5 times world boxing champion. Soon she will be seen in the Olympic qualifying event for Women’s Boxing which will be held in May, in China. It won’t be that difficult for her to qualify for the Games but her real test will be at the Olympics where she will be tested by tough fights from Philippine, Australia and Kazakhstan boxers. She has also won the India’s highest sporting honor – Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2009 and is also the founder of MC Mary Kom Boxing Academy at Imphal. Hope she raises the Indian National Anthem in London and brings joy and happiness to the whole country.

4-BOXING(Vikas Krishan)

Vikas Krishan, a 20 year-old Boxer from Haryana stunned everyone when he clinched the gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in China by defeating some of the top guns in the event. Vikas Krishan who is currently world no. 2 in men’s 69 kg wt. category is also the bronze medal winner at the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Ajarbeijan last year. Vikas is also the World Youth Champion and is presently working at the Haryana State Electricity Board. At the young age of 20, he already has made the country proud twice, but his biggest challenge will be at the Olympics 2012 and if he succeeds in winning the medal for his nation, that day will be the biggest day in his life.

Ronjan Singh Sodhi is an Indian double trap shooter who became the first Indian to grab the top spot in the ISSF world rankings but currently he is a world no 3. shooter in the men’s double trap. Ronjan Singh Sodhi who earned the Olympic Quota for India during the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Beijing, has now been selected in the Indian team ahead of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Sodhi’s major achievements include the gold medal in 2011 ISSF World Cup at UAE, gold medal at the 2010 ISSF world cup in Turkey,gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in China,silver medal at the 2010 CWG games, and Bronze medal at the 2011 World Cup in Slovenia. Sodhi along with the 2008 Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and star shooter Gagan Narang will be the biggest hopes for India in shooting during the London Olympics.

5-ARCHERY (Deepika Kumari)

Deepika Kumari who is just 17 years of age has achieved a lot in the world Of Archery up till now. Deepika is currently the World No 5. in Women’s individual ranking in recurve section. Deepika who won the gold medal in the 2010 CWG was the lone Indian who qualified for the World Cup Finals in 2011. World Cup finals is the event in which the top 8 archers from the world who have got the maximum points during the World Cup stages are allowed to compete, no other Indian even the women’s recurve team were also not able to qualify for the World Cup finals. It was only Deepika Kumari who just didn’t only get selected, but also won the silver medal at the highest level. Deepika Kumari missed the gold medal just by a whisker when she lost to China’s Cheng Ming in the tie breakers. Deepika, daughter of an auto rickshaw driver has struggled a lot during her childhood days but the young gutsy archer never gave up and started her practice with bamboo made bows and arrows. But after a long struggle she finally got the chance in Tata Archery Academy, where she is currently training,we hope she shines in both the events i.e. women’s individual recurve and women’s team recurve and brings the double gold for the country.We wish her and all the players who go to the Olympics good luck.

6-SHOOTING(Ronjan Singh Sodhi)

Ronjan Singh Sodhi is an Indian double trap shooter who became the first Indian to grab the top spot in the ISSF world rankings but currently he is a world no 3. shooter in the men’s double trap. Ronjan Singh Sodhi who earned the Olympic Quota for India during the 2011 ISSF World Cup in Beijing, has now been selected in the Indian team ahead of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Sodhi’s major achievements include the gold medal in 2011 ISSF World Cup at UAE, gold medal at the 2010 ISSF world cup in Turkey,gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in China,silver medal at the 2010 CWG games, and Bronze medal at the 2011 World Cup in Slovenia. Sodhi along with the 2008 Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and star shooter Gagan Narang will be the biggest hopes for India in shooting during the London Olympics.