Heady stuff! This sports business!
The 2018 Commonwealth Games have just ended at Gold Coast,
Australia. And, what a stellar, sterling performance the Indian contingent has
put up!
In terms of sheer number of medals won by India, it is the 3rd
best ever, behind New Delhi in 2010 and Manchester in 2002. The break-up is
below:
GAMES
|
GOLD
|
SILVER
|
BRONZE
|
TOTAL
|
1.
New Delhi 2010
|
38
|
27
|
36
|
101
|
2.
Manchester 2002
|
30
|
22
|
17
|
69
|
3.
Gold Coast 2018
|
26
|
20
|
20
|
66
|
However, there is more to those numbers than what
meets the eye.
First, let us take a look at the
New Delhi 2010 performance of the Indian contingent. The Commonwealth Games in
2010 featured Archery, Shooting (Pairs), Tennis and Wrestling (Greco-Roman)
events, which were not included in the Gold Coast games. Indian medal tally
from these events are in the table below:
EVENT
|
GOLD
|
SILVER
|
BRONZE
|
TOTAL
|
1.
Archery
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
8
|
2.
Shooting (Pairs)
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
13
|
3.
Tennis
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
4.
Wrestling (Greco-Roman)
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
TOTAL MEDALS
|
15
|
7
|
10
|
32
|
Similarly, the Indian medal tally
at the Manchester 2002 Games included medals from Judo, Shooting (Pairs),
Weightlifting (Snatch) and Weightlifting (Clean & Jerk). The tally in these
events at the 2002 Games was as follows:
EVENT
|
GOLD
|
SILVER
|
BRONZE
|
TOTAL
|
1.
Judo
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2.
Shooting (Pairs)
|
8
|
2
|
1
|
11
|
3.
Weightlifting (Snatch) and Weightlifting
(Clean & Jerk)
|
7
|
6
|
5
|
18
|
TOTAL MEDALS
|
15
|
9
|
7
|
31
|
If the Indian medal counts in the earlier Games’ were to
be adjusted for the anomalies, the numbers would change as follows:
GAMES
|
GOLD
|
SILVER
|
BRONZE
|
TOTAL
|
1.
New Delhi 2010
|
38 – 15 = 23
|
27 – 7 = 20
|
36 – 10 = 26
|
101 – 32 = 69
|
2.
Manchester 2002
|
30 – 15 = 15
|
22 – 9 = 13
|
17 – 7 = 10
|
69 – 31 = 38
|
3.
Gold Coast 2018
|
26
|
20
|
20
|
66
|
Thus, the Gold Coast performance of
our athletes and sportsmen has been sublime.
KUDOS to all of them! What a show
the Indian contingent has put up! SPECTACULAR!
If only there had been a medal from
Hockey in the mix, that would have been icing on the cake, right? But, a
brownie sans the icing is as good as any cake, isn’t it?
I am all set now, bated breath and all,
for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics!
