CWG 2022: 15 Facts that you need to know about India at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games 2022 is almost upon us. Scheduled in Birmingham for this edition, the Commonwealth Games is probably the only global sporting event that did not get cancelled due to COVID. Taking […]
Commonwealth Games 2022 is almost upon us. Scheduled in Birmingham for this edition, the Commonwealth Games is probably the only global sporting event that did not get cancelled due to COVID.
Taking its usual course of four years, the prestigious event has returned after last taking place in 2018 in Australia. With 20 sports and 280 events, this Commonwealth Games is going to be one of the biggest in the history of the games.
To celebrate the oncoming of the esteemed event, let’s look at the 15 facts about India in the Commonwealth Games history.
- The smallest contingent sent to the CWG from India was in 1934, when only six athletes participated in the event.
- India’s strongest contingent was in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, when 495 Indian athletes participated in the event.
- India is sending a strong group of 322 athletes to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.
- The most successful Indian athlete at the Commonwealth Games in the history of the games was Jaspal Rana, who won 15 medals in shooting.
- Wrestler Rashid Anwar was India’s first ever Commonwealth Games medallist. He won the medal in the 1934 London CWG. It was also the first time that India participated in the games.
- India won its first gold medal in the 1958 Commonwealth Games when the renowned Milkha Singh beat everyone in the 440 yards race.
- Discus thrower Krishna Poonia became the second gold winner after Milkha Singh. He won the medal in the 2010 Delhi CWG.
- Roopa Unnikrishnan became the first Indian woman to win a CWG gold in the women’s 50 rifle event at the Kuala Lumpur CWG 1998.
- India has so far only gone medalless on two occasions; Sydney 1938 and 1654 Vancouver.
- India has won a total of 503 medals in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
- With 181 golds, 173 silvers and 149 bronzes, India ranks fourth in the all-time medal tally.
- India has won the most number of medals in Shooting (135), with weightlifting (125) at second, and Wrestling (102) at third.
- Delhi CWG 2010 was India’s best finish at the CWG when they ranked second with 101 medals.
- India has never finished outside the top five since the 2002 Manchester CWG.
- Discus thrower Ranjith Kumar became India’s first ever para-athlete to win a CWG medal. He won bronze at the 2006 Melbourne CWG.
India starts its CWG 2022 campaign, with games in Women’s Hockey, Cricket and Badminton on 29th July. This is only the second time that cricket is being included in CWG.
