A 655-strong Indian contingent has embarked on an endeavour to bring home the biggest medal haul ever this time around in Hangzhou, China. They have a number of memorable performances to seek inspiration from in the previous editions, at an event where India have historically done every well across disciplines. (More Sports News)
Let’s take a look back at some of the dizziest heights achieved by Indian sportspersons at the 82-year-old event.
India’s Best Performers In The History Of Asian Games
PT Usha
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha, or PT Usha is the most successful Indian athlete in the tournament’s history, with 11 glittering medals to her name – four gold and seven silver. With a career spanning over two decades, PT Usha dominated the multi-sporting event like no other Indian.
Leander Paes
Usha may have the most number of medals, but Indian tennis legend Leander Paes, with a record five gold, has the most gold medals by an Indian at the Asiad. He has eight medals in all from the event, including three silver.
Jaspal Rana
Tied with Paes in the number of Asian Games medals is shooter Jaspal Rana, who bagged four gold, two silver and as many bronze to end up with eight medals at the multi-sport event. Rana won gold as a teenager at the 1994 Games, but peaked in 2006 with three gold medals in the edition.
India’s Best Medal Tally In An Asiad Edition
We don’t have to look far back for India’s best medal-wise performance at the quadrennial event, as they reached the zenith in the most recent one. India’s showing in 2018 at the Jakarta Games was unprecedented, with the contingent returning with 70 medals – 16 gold, 23 silver and 31 bronze – to finish eighth in the overall standings. The previous best was 65 medals at the 2010 edition in Guangzhou, China, which led to them ending up sixth.
In all, India has won 672 medals at the Asiad so far, including 155 gold, 201 silver and 316 bronze. Athletics has been the most happy hunting ground for the country, with as many as 254 medals – 79 gold, 88 silver and 87 bronze – bagged so far.
