At Asiad, all that glitters isn’t gold

The Asian Games, also known as the Asiad, have brought together a significant number of Indian athletes in Aichi-Nagoya. Among these 500 Indian competitors, it is estimated that one in every five could bring home a medal. While medals are undoubtedly important, the focus should be on the events where athletes excel and break new ground.

India's aspiration to become a sporting powerhouse is not solely based on the quantity of medals or their ranking but also on the events themselves. A gold medal in cricket would be a modest achievement, considering the dominance of the sport by the Indian team, as it does not signify upward mobility. Similarly, other fields where India has traditionally excelled, such as shooting or kabaddi, could also be considered as potential areas for upward growth.

However, a more accurate reflection of India's rising stature would be the victory of medals in sports where competition is fierce and athletes have historically struggled. Weightlifting is a prime example, with Mirabhai Chanu being an Olympic medallist and one of the country's finest athletes, but lacking a podium finish at the Asiad for the past two occasions.

Similarly, the Indian shuttlers have only earned a gold medal in 2022, with the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. Archery has also seen relatively mediocre results for India. Wrestling, on the other hand, has not seen a gold medal since 2018, making a win in this event particularly valuable. Ultimately, the quality of the silverware will hold significant importance at the Asiad.