Yearender 2022: Five Major Achievements By Indians On Global Stage
New Delhi: After a postponed Tokyo Olympics show last year, Indian sportspersons once again lit up the world stage in 2022 with many historic firsts this year. From Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra reigning supreme to Nikhat Zareen becoming world champion to a rich overhaul at the CWG in Birmingham, 2022 has been great for India.
#Neeraj Chopra Rules Again
Olympic champion and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra stamped his authority at the world stage once again when the 25-year-old won a silver at the World Championships in Oregon and became the first Indian to win a Diamod League title. Chopra, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, also broke his own national record with a throw of 89.94m at the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League. Chopra World Championships silver came with a throw of 88.13m and was the second Indian after Anju Bobby George to win a medal in the competition. He threw the spear at a distance og 88.44m to clinch Diamond League gold. Chopra had missed Commonwealth Games 2022 due to injury.
#India Lift Maiden Thomas Cup
Led by Lakshya Sen, the Indian men’s badminton team scripted history as they won the Thomas Cup for the first time. Having entered the tournament as fifth seeds, India played flawless badminton to finish second to Chinese Taipei in the group stage. In the knockouts, India defeated Malaysia and Denmark in the quarterfinals and semifinal to set up a final date with Indonesia. India won 3-0 in the summit clash. The Indian team also included HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
#World Champion Nikhat Zareen
2022 has been terrific for Nikhat Zareen. Not only she won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Indian went one step better to become the World Champion — fifth from the country after legendary MC Mary Kom, Laishram Sarita Devi, Jenny RL, and Lekha KC. In the Women’s World Championships 2022 final, Nikhat defeated Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong, a Tokyo Olympian, 5-0.
#Inaugural Nations Cup Champions
India became the inaugural champions of FIH Women’s Nations Cup in Valencia earlier this month. After Australia and New Zealand opted out of the FIH Pro League 2022 owing to COVID-19, India were given a chance to compete against the best in the world anfd finished third to qualify for the eight-team Nations Cup. Led by Savita Punia, India went hard by winning the first three group games before beating Ireland and Spain in the semifinals and final respectively.
#Commonwealth Games Success
Despite shooting not a part of the Commonwealth Games 2022, the Indians rose to occasion to return home with an impressive haul of 61 medals — 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze. While the known names like Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy Lalrinnunga, PV Sindhu, Lakshay Sen, Amit Panghal, Bajrang Punia, etc stamped their authority once again at the world stage, there were several other firsts for India in Birmingham. Eldhose Paul gave India its first triple jump gold while Murali Sreeshankar won country’s first men’s long jump silver. The Indian women’s lawn bowls team won its first ever Commonwealth Games gold, hockey and women’s cricket teams got a place in the podium so as race walkers Priyanka Goswami and Sandeep Kumar. Avinash Sable also won a silver medal in men’s 3000m steeplechase setting a new national record.