Shooting excellence, boxing promise & stagnant service

Indian shooters had smooth sailing through the course of the sea- son, stepping up in all key international tournaments and return- ing with significant medals. After a relatively slow start due to off-ring matters, women boxers also had some telling moments inside the squared circle while badminton players’ toil continued with some of the top guns unable to play to their potential due to various reasons. A look at the contrasting journeys of athletes from three key sports and what lies ahead...

- ANMOL GURUNG @Chennai

BOXING, badminton and shooting are three key disciplines in the Indian sporting circuit that usually return with rich rewards from almost all international competitions including World Championships and Olympics.

The athletes from these events have made giant strides over the years. And that reflects on their performance at the Olympics, considered the pinnacle of sports. Those disciplines are responsible in bringing a sizeable chunk of medals (12 out of 47 medals) that the country has won in the history of Summer Games. That number is striking to say the least. And that has generally been the theme in other noteworthy events across the globe.

These athletes, over the years, have added to their reputation. Thanks to their contribution to the Indian sporting ecosystem, they have attained a good level of influence. Cricketers, without a doubt, take the chunk of the pie in terms of perks and influence. But sportspersons from these three fields have also been gradually attaining prominence. That has meant more money has exchanged hands with the government and private firms heavily investing in these games. PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal (before Sindhu), Manu Bhaker, MC Mary Kom, Lovlina Borgohain, Vijender Singh are some of the influential names that have left a strong imprint on the Indian sporting circuit.

The rise in popularity also follows close scrutiny. They have grown to become a routine fixture for sports fans across the country. The level of expectations have also soared simultaneously.

As the dust settled after the 2024 Paris Games, each discipline had its own goals for the new year. For shooting, which fetched three medals during the Paris Games, it was all about