Harpal Singh Bedi
On a day when shuttlers rained gold for India winning three of them Australia crashed into the party humbling men in blue 7-0 in the Men’s hockey final thus taking away bit of sheen from the celebrations as the country finished 4th in the medal tally of 61 medals – 22 Gold, 16 Silver and 23 Bronze-in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games that concluded today.
Even though India couldn’t surpass their medal tally (66) from Gold Coast Games, considering Shooting was not included in this edition, it has been an excellent performance by the Indian Contingent in this edition of the games. India finished the last day on an absolute medal rush by securing 4 Gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze.
Much was expected from Manpreet Singh led Hockey side but they simply caved in without a fight against rampaging Australians conceding seven goals without scoring even once. The Indians also failed to earn a single penalty corner and that left their fans who had packed the stadium totally disappointed. It was not the defeat but the manner men in blue caved that hurt.
Otherwise on the last day the shuttlers were outstanding throughout the games as they secured 6 medals (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze) medals in the 6 categories with only Mixed Doubles missing out.
P.V Sindhu started the day by securing first Gold beating seasoned Canadian Michelle Lee in straight sets (21-15, 21-13). Lakshya Sen showed grit to come from behind to beat the in- form Malaysian Tze Yong Ng in three sets (19-21, 21-9, 21-16).
In the Men’s Doubles Gold Medal match the pair of Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty made light work of the English pairing of Ben Lane & Sean Vendy 21-15, 21-13.
In the Table Tennis table Achanta Sharath Kamal established himself as a CWG legend after he secured Gold in the Singles . This is his 3rd Gold Medal of the games and his 4th in total. Sharath has won a total of 13 medals in Commonwealth Games. He beat Liam Pitchford of England in 5 games (11-13, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8).
Earlier Sathiyan Gnanasekaran had secured bronze in the Men’s Singles making it a 1 – 3 in the Men’s Singles after beating Englishman Paul Drinkhall in a nail-biting encounter in 7 games (11-9, 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11,10-12,11-9).
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games has been a brilliant spectacle and at the closing ceremony the Indian Contingent will be led out by Achanta Sharath Kamal and Nikhat Zareen.
GREETINGS
President Droupadi Murmu has congratulated badminton Player P V Sindhu on clinching a gold medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Games. In a tweet, the President said Sindhu won the nation’s heart, adding that she created magic on the court, enthralling millions. The President stated that Sindhu’s masterly win makes the tiranga fly high and the national anthem resonated in Birmingham.
President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated Sharath Kamal for creating history by winning the table tennis gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. In a tweet, the President said Sharath Kamal’s phenomenal consistency has made him a sporting icon. She said Indians are delighted that the tricolour soared at the podium due to Sharath’s special feat.
Ms Murmu also congratulated Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty as well on winning badminton doubles gold in the tournament. The President said their victory will inspire the youth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated P V Sindhu on winning the Gold medal in Badminton at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, P V Sindhu is a champion of champions and has repeatedly shown what excellence is all about. He said, her dedication and commitment are awe-inspiring.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Lakshya Sen on winning the Gold medal in Badminton. In a tweet, Mr Modi said Lakshya played excellently through the Commonwealth Games and showed outstanding resilience during the Finals. The Prime Minister called him India’s pride and wished him the best for his future endeavours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India’s Badminton contingent has redefined success and excellence in the Commonwealth Games. In a tweet, Mr Modi hailed the superb display of teamwork and skills by Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. He said he is proud of them for bringing home the Gold medal. He hoped that they will keep winning more laurels for India in the times to come.
Mr Modi said the Gold medal by Sharath Kamal will be recorded in history as a very special one. He said Sharath has shown the power of patience, determination and resilience and also demonstrated great skills. He added that this medal is a big boost for Indian Table Tennis. He also admired the tenacity and dedication of Table Tennis player, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran for winning the Bronze Medal in Men’s Singles Table Tennis.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the Men’s Hockey team for a spirited performance through the Commonwealth Games and winning a Silver medal. He exuded confidence that this team will keep making India proud in the times to come and also inspire youngsters to pursue Hockey.
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has congratulated Badminton Player P V Sindhu on winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. In a tweet, Mr. Thakur said P V Sindhu created history once again. Stating that PV Sindhu is the country’s pride, Mr. Thakur said she showed excellence and determination during her performance.
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also congratulated Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on winning Doubles Gold in Badminton after defeating England at the Commonwealth Games. In a tweet, Mr Thakur said they smashed their way into history books, and the match was an absolute delight to watch.
Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande today had a video telephonic interaction with Indian Army Medal Winners in Commonwealth Games 2022. He lauded them for their sterling performance and for making the nation and the Army proud. He also wished them good luck in their future endeavours.