Queen Elizabeth II, the titular head of Commonwealth, would have been proud of women’s contribution to India's medal haul at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Saina Nehwal and Co. supplied 12 of the country’s 26 gold medals besides one in a mixed event. It must be said that the men have caught up now, after they fired blanks at the 2016 Olympics. If not for P.V. Sindhu’s silver and Sakshi Malik’s bronze in Rio, just imagine the loss of face the second most populous country would have suffered at the mother of all games.
The role sports plays in the emancipation of Indian women cannot be discounted. That Sakshi comes from Haryana, a state with a historical skewed sex ratio, isn’t a small detail. It’s impossible to envisage India’s success in international sporting events these days without crucial contributions from women. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a woman, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, started India’s gold rush and badminton star Saina capped it with a win over Sindhu in the singles final on the final day. Saina had won the team gold earlier.
Table tennis ace Manika Batra, another double gold medallist at Gold Coast, would be a top contender for the Indian athlete of the Games award because she achieved her success against heavy odds. She did the double over Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the world no.4 and multiple Olympic medallist — first in the women's team final and, then, in the singles semi-final. Batra said she probably played the best TT of her career against Feng in the team final. She was the most successful Indian at the Games with two gold, one silver (women’s doubles) and one bronze (mixed doubles). The 22-year-old may have given the big push Indian TT had been craving for to reach the next level. Beating the world no. 4 twice was a phenomenal achievement. Manu Bhaker, all of 15 years, scooped the 10m air pistol gold with a Games record to boot.
Such a splendid performance in her first CWG has compelled the pundits to gush that India may just have found its next Olympic champion. Bhaker surely has the hunger of Abhinav Bhindra as she spoke of her next challenge right after winning the gold at Gold Coast. Shreyasi Singh fired yet another salvo for India's women power by winning the double trap gold. After finishing outside the podium in 2010, she claimed silver in the double trap at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The 27-year-old now has the coveted gold. She is proof to the new-age Indian woman's determination and perseverance.
Boxing phenomenon M.C. Mary Kom, mother of three and a winner of an Olympic bronze, did her reputation no harm by winning the 48kg gold without much sweat. If there is an athlete who embodies the never-say-die spirit of Indian women, it has to be the light flyweight from Manipur with heavyweight punches.
