Tokyo 2020: There is palpable tension, a sense of dread actually, but the COVID-hit Olympic Games starting Friday or the 'Games of Hope' as the IOC desperately wants the world to believe, could prove to be a watershed for the biggest ever Indian contingent with shooters, boxers and wrestlers expected to lead an unparalleled medal rush. Indian athletes from seven sports, including shooting, badminton, archery and hockey, will skip the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday because of COVID-19 concerns and competitions lined up the next day, leaving just about 30 in attendance at the event. From hockey, only flag-bearer, men's team captain Manpreet Singh, will participate in the ceremony. Let us take a look at some of the images: -
India, a nation of over 1.3 billion, has just 28 Olympic medals to its credit since making a debut back in 1900. That tally features just one individual gold that Abhinav Bindra picked up in 2008. (PTI Photo)
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This country is definitely more optimistic than before of what its 120 athletes — 68 men and 52 women — in Tokyo would achieve. (PTI Photo)
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The expectations are of a first ever double digit figure in the medals tally, surpassing the best haul of six achieved in the 2012 London Olympics, none of them gold. In this photo New Zealand, left, and India teams of the men's 49er men class sail in the Enoshima Yacht Harbour during a training session on the occasion of at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Fujisawa, Japan. (AP Photo)
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So, India can certainly hope that the gloom of the pandemic would be lifted by the brightness of its athletes' performances. (PTI Photo)
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The march past will be in Japanese alphabetical order and India's number is 21st. (PTI Photo)
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India is being represented by more than 125 athletes in the Games with the overall contingent size being 228, including officials, coaches, other support staff an alternate athletes in view of the COVID-19. (PTI Photo)
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