NEW DELHI: On October 3, TOI ran a front-page headline - ' India Takes Aim: 100 Medals and Finish At No. 2'. By the time Saina Nehwal took the court for the women's singles final, the first target had already been achieved but the second - No. 2 spot in the overall tally - was still very much up for grabs.
England and India were tied at 37 golds each, but England had many more medals, so it was a must-win match for Saina - and for a nation desperate for some cheer after a demoralizing 0-8 drubbing in the men's hockey final.
Going by track record, it should have been a no-contest. Saina, world no. 3, had an unbeaten 4-0 record against her opponent, Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo. But Wong, world No. 17, had run Saina close in the team final just a few days ago. Could she do an encore?
She almost went one better in a 74-minute thriller that Saina would later describe as the toughest match of her career. Eventually, Saina won a nerve-wracking battle 19-21, 23-21, 21-13 after facing a match point at 20-21 in the second game. Never before has the country been united by a badminton match. Nor has India come so close to finding such a loved sporting icon after Sachin Tendulkar.
Saina's triumph ensured the Games would end on a high note for India. It was, perhaps only fitting, given the number of heroes who thrilled Indian fans in the past few days.
Earlier in the day, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had won the women's doubles, again a first for India. The record haul was, of course, set up by the shooters, with Gagan Narang bagging four golds. The wrestlers, led by world champ Sushil Kumar, too obliged adoring fans. But golds also came from some delightfully unexpected quarters.
There was teenager Deepika Kumari, who came up with a golden double in the women's recurve archery event. India hadn't won a gold in either track or field since 1958. It got one in each, with Krishna Poonia leading a clean sweep of the women's discus throw, and the women's 4x400m relay squad beating the more fancied Nigeria and England.
Indeed, the relay win, greeted by full-throated acclaim from a packed JN Stadium, moved former athletics great and head of the London 2012 Olympics OC Sebestian Coe to declare, "It may just have changed the direction of track and field not only in India, but in Asia. Hundreds of millions of people tonight know India can perform at the top level." And then there was Ashish Kumar, who didn't win a gold but made history by winning India's first-ever CWG medals in gymnastics - a silver and bronze.
So does Delhi 2010 herald the arrival of India as a sporting nation? It may be premature to say so. The fact is, the competition wasn't always world-class.
The Asian Games that follow shortly will give us a more accurate assessment of where we stand. But at least while the Games lasted, Indians tuned in to many sports other than cricket. The Saina-Wong epic was followed as enthusiastically on TV as any T20 thriller. In that - and the youngsters who will be inspired to come up with similar feats - lies hope for the future.
Can India beat its 57 medals record at Asiad?
Ask the Indian medal winners at the Commonwealth Games and they'll tell you it's just a stepping stone for the November Asian Games to be held in Guangzou ( China). The Delhi show will surely spur them towards more challenging goals with India looking to improve upon the 57 medals it won in 1982, which remain its best Asiad showing. World-beaters like Sushil Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra, MC Mary Kom and Vijender Singh hadn't really emerged then. Guanzhou could add to India's growth as a sporting nation.
TOI
England and India were tied at 37 golds each, but England had many more medals, so it was a must-win match for Saina - and for a nation desperate for some cheer after a demoralizing 0-8 drubbing in the men's hockey final.
Going by track record, it should have been a no-contest. Saina, world no. 3, had an unbeaten 4-0 record against her opponent, Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo. But Wong, world No. 17, had run Saina close in the team final just a few days ago. Could she do an encore?
She almost went one better in a 74-minute thriller that Saina would later describe as the toughest match of her career. Eventually, Saina won a nerve-wracking battle 19-21, 23-21, 21-13 after facing a match point at 20-21 in the second game. Never before has the country been united by a badminton match. Nor has India come so close to finding such a loved sporting icon after Sachin Tendulkar.
Saina's triumph ensured the Games would end on a high note for India. It was, perhaps only fitting, given the number of heroes who thrilled Indian fans in the past few days.
Earlier in the day, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had won the women's doubles, again a first for India. The record haul was, of course, set up by the shooters, with Gagan Narang bagging four golds. The wrestlers, led by world champ Sushil Kumar, too obliged adoring fans. But golds also came from some delightfully unexpected quarters.
There was teenager Deepika Kumari, who came up with a golden double in the women's recurve archery event. India hadn't won a gold in either track or field since 1958. It got one in each, with Krishna Poonia leading a clean sweep of the women's discus throw, and the women's 4x400m relay squad beating the more fancied Nigeria and England.
Indeed, the relay win, greeted by full-throated acclaim from a packed JN Stadium, moved former athletics great and head of the London 2012 Olympics OC Sebestian Coe to declare, "It may just have changed the direction of track and field not only in India, but in Asia. Hundreds of millions of people tonight know India can perform at the top level." And then there was Ashish Kumar, who didn't win a gold but made history by winning India's first-ever CWG medals in gymnastics - a silver and bronze.
So does Delhi 2010 herald the arrival of India as a sporting nation? It may be premature to say so. The fact is, the competition wasn't always world-class.
The Asian Games that follow shortly will give us a more accurate assessment of where we stand. But at least while the Games lasted, Indians tuned in to many sports other than cricket. The Saina-Wong epic was followed as enthusiastically on TV as any T20 thriller. In that - and the youngsters who will be inspired to come up with similar feats - lies hope for the future.
Can India beat its 57 medals record at Asiad?
Ask the Indian medal winners at the Commonwealth Games and they'll tell you it's just a stepping stone for the November Asian Games to be held in Guangzou ( China). The Delhi show will surely spur them towards more challenging goals with India looking to improve upon the 57 medals it won in 1982, which remain its best Asiad showing. World-beaters like Sushil Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra, MC Mary Kom and Vijender Singh hadn't really emerged then. Guanzhou could add to India's growth as a sporting nation.
TOI
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