The top five sports that have won the most medals at the Olympics are India

Posted On: July 23, 2024

There are many sports in which our athletes have made the nation proud.

The Olympic Games are undoubtedly the most prestigious sporting event in the world. The essence of the Olympic Games is understood in the excitement that arises every four years. The Olympic Games also add prestige to the city that hosts the games and there are several iconic moments over the years that we can witness and remember with others in Tokyo later this year.

The Olympics have added lustre to India's sporting history as many Indian Olympians have gone ahead and won the hearts and respect of their countrymen and peers with their courage and determination to win. India has won a total of 28 Olympic medals since the 1900 Olympics in Paris, which marked India's first participation in the quadrennial event.

Today, Khel Now will discuss the sport in which our athletes have won the most medals and made our nation and us proud on the world stage.

5. Badminton (3)

India has become a star in the world of badminton as the country has produced many talented players. Players like Saina Nehwal to Kidambi Srikanth have won many tournaments and are among the top players.

The Olympics add lustre to the country's quality as badminton has contributed three medals out of the total 3 medals won by India since the beginning of the previous century.

All the medals were won by female athletes, the first being the bronze medal won by Saina Nehwal at the 2012 London Olympics. The badminton ace made it to the semi-finals before losing to top seed Wang Yihan in a straight game, but won the bronze medal in the match against Wang Xin. The second match was even better, with PV SIndhu almost winning the gold before losing miserably to Carolina Marin of Spain after a marathon match that lasted 83 minutes. Despite this, she managed to win a silver medal for all her efforts and Sindhu once again won an Olympic medal, but this time a bronze.

4. Athletics (3)

Athletics contributed a total of three medals to India's medal tally at the Olympics. In fact, the first two medals won by India at the Olympics were in athletics.

Go back to the 1900 Paris Olympics, when Norman Pritchard competed on behalf of British India (which was still under British colonial rule). Pritchard won two silver medals in the 200m and 200m hurdles, making him the first Asian-born athlete to win an Olympic medal. Neeraj Chopra clinched first place in the javelin throw event, creating history as the first Indian gold medallist in athletics at the Olympics. His feat also made him the second Indian athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics.

3. Shooting (4)

Shooting also brings the most medals to India at the Olympics. In total, India has won four medals in various shooting sports at the Olympics.

Starting with former Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the Double Trap event. The pinnacle of our Olympic history this century was achieved in shooting when Abhinav Bindra won a historic gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This victory also made him the first and only Indian Olympian to win a gold medal this century.

At the 2012 Olympics, India doubled its shooting tally when Gagan Narang (10m air rifle) and Vijay Kumar (25m rapid fire pistol) won bronze and silver respectively.

Apart from hockey, shooting is the only discipline that can fetch gold medals for India at the Olympics.

2. Fight (7)

Wrestling has contributed to India's total of 7 medals, making its total 35. India's first medal in wrestling came at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki when Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze in the men's freestyle bantamweight event.

Two of the five medals were won by Sushil Kumar, who won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver in the men's 66kg freestyle event four years later in London. He remains the only Indian Olympian this century to win two Olympic medals and is also the only Indian wrestler to win two Olympic medals.

Other Olympians who have won medals in wrestling include Yogeshwar Dutt who won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, Sakshi Malik who also won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Ravi Dahiya who won silver at the 2021 Olympics and Bajrang Punia bronze in Tokyo.

1. Hockey (12)

Hockey is the most productive sport in terms of medals won at the Olympic Games. The country has produced some of the greatest exponents of the sport, including Maj. Dhyan Chand and Leslie Claudius.

India's tally of 12 Olympic medals (8 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) in hockey is the highest of any country in the world. This speaks volumes about the legends who have brought us the history of the sport. India first participated in hockey at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and won five consecutive Olympic gold medals till the 1952 Helsinki Olympics (the Olympics were cancelled in 1940 and 1944 due to World War II). Our tally of eight gold medals is also the highest among the countries participating in hockey at the Olympics.

The Indian hockey team has also won gold medals at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and most recently at the 1980 Olympics held in Moscow. Other medals include a silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and bronze medals in 1968 (Mexico City) and 1972 (Munich). India won the bronze medal by beating Germany after 41 years.

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