61 Medals is Good, Time to Win More

Viewed from any angle a fourth place finish in the medals tally in the just concluded Commonwealth Games is commendable. This is probably India's best showing in the quadrennial meet, though on figures the tally of 61 medals is well below the 101 the squad won at New Delhi in 2010. The break-up then was 38 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze while this time around it is 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze.

Still to finish behind three powerhouses, Australia, England and Canada, is praiseworthy in a competition that saw over 70 nations taking part. On deeper scrutiny however, it can be seen why this could well be India's best performance ever at the Games. The medal tally at New Delhi included 30 from shooting, eight from archery and four from tennis.

None of these disciplines were part of the Games this time. Even when compared to the last Games in Australia in 2018 about 25 percent of India's tally of 66 medals, 26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze, came from the shooting range.

As a result it was freely predicted that India would slip from the top five position it generally occupies at the games. Four years ago India was third behind Australia and England. This year it was said that it will be difficult for India to touch even the 50-medal mark. Under the circumstances it can be seen why this showing could well be India's best ever performance at the Commonwealth Games.

One would like to think that at last in Indian sport there is a systematic programme to produce world class sportsmen and women, given the improved showing in international events over the last decade and more. The peak was probably the unprecedented sevan medals won by India at the Tokyo Olympics last year. At Birmingham the continuing rise was also reflected in the number of sports the Indians won medals.

In the past India used to excel in a few sports like weightlifting, shooting, boxing and wrestling. In the last few years Indians have been winning medals at international events in various disciplines. At Birmingham the Indians left an indelible mark on around a dozen sports. A more gratifying factor was that both men and women excelled. In a few cases they were up against World and Olympic champions but the Indians did not buckle under any pressure proving that they are not overawed any more by the reputation of the opponents.

So where does one begin to highlight the success story in the Commonwealth Games? Does one start with the ageless paddler Achanta Sarath Kamal who at 40 has now won 13 medals in the games? Or does one highlight the totally unexpected gold medal triumph notched up by the women in lawn bowls, a sport nuances of which would still be unknown to many?

Or the double sweep by PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen in badminton? Or should it be the dominance of the wrestlers who won medals in all the 12 events they competed including six golds? Or the unexpectedly strong showing by the track and field squad led by the stirring 1 – 2 finish by Eldhose Paul and Abdullah Aboobacker in the men's triple jump?

One could really go on and on for there were so many sporting heroes and heroines.

What was particularly heartening about the Indian showing was the fact that many of the medal winning sportsmen and women came from humble backgrounds. They had to really struggle first to make it to the Indian squad and then win a medal after facing various kinds of obstacles, hurdles and hardships. This underlined a stout heart and a hunger for success that is quite unparalleled.

Weightlifter Sanket Sargar who won a silver in the 55kg category proved that financial difficulties cannot derail a focused athlete. Four years ago he used to sell `paan' from a tiny shop at Sangli in Maharashtra. His is a story to be cherished, as is the tale involving another lifter Achinta Sheuli who won gold in the 73 kg division. He, his brother and mother did embroidery work. The siblings also slogged in the fields fighting poverty and coping with the demise of their father – truly a story of hope and redemption.

Another heartening factor was that many of the medal winners came from far flung regions in the country and not from the big cities which have generally produced the greats. This has been the case in various sports in recent years and events at the games continued the trend.

What is of paramount importance now is to build upon the gains the Indian squad came up with at Birmingham. It is imperative for the Union Sports Ministry, the various sports associations and the players themselves to see to it that the success story does not ground to a halt and that the gains are consolidated to tackle the sterner tests ahead. For a start there is the Asian Games to be held next year in Hangzhou, China. As is well known the competition at the Asian Games is generally tougher than at the Commonwealth Games.

Rejoice over the events at Birmingham, yes but then quickly get to work to improve further to meet truly international standards. When it comes to World meets and Olympics India still lag behind the rest of the field and one way to combat this is foreign training and participation.

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra whose absence at Birmingham because of injury cost India a certain medal improved by leaps and bounds thanks to training abroad. Similarly Avinash Sable whose silver at Birmingham made him the first non-Kenyan to win a medal in the 3000m steeplechase since 1994 credits his training in the USA for helping him to boost his confidence and make a tremendous impact.

There is no denying the fact that considering its size, population and economy India is still underperforming on the international stage. What is required is a much larger sports budget, professional management and intense training if greater goals are to be achieved.