Shooters, wrestlers shoulder India’s burden of expectations
NEW DELHI: India wi l l be banking largely on their shooters, wrestlers and boxers to deliver gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia to better the 57-medal mark they achieved in Incheon four years ago.
India, who struggle at the Olympics despite their population, have done reasonably well in the quadrennial continental event, only twice finishing outside the top eight since hosting the first Asiad in 1951.
They won at least 10 golds in each of the last four Games and the Aug 18-Sept. 2 multi-sports competition will be a timely indicator ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
“India was ranked eighth in the last Asian Games and every effort has been made... to ensure we win more medals this time and improve our overall standings,” Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra said at a farewell for the athletes.
Spearheading India’s golden pursuit will be the shooters, who topped the medal tally in this year’s Mexico World Cup, finishing ahead of United States and China and be headlined by a trio of talented teenagers.
Anish Bhanwala, 15, became India’s youngest Commonwealth Games gold medallist when he won the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, snatching the honour from 16-year- old Manu Bhaker who had won the women’s 10m air rif le finals on the Gold Coast barely a week before. — Reuters