5 veterans who could win a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics

We are just under 4 months away from the start of the 2016 Rio Olympics and India seem to be buliding quite a sizeable contingent across sports that seems to have good mixture of youth and experience.

Here’s a look at 5 veterans, who have been and done that, who are likely to raise their game and seal a second or even a third Olympic medal.

1.Leander Paes

There are some athletes about whom you would argue whether or not they would enter the bracket of 'legends'. With Leander Paes, however, that doesn't require any such arguments.

The 41-year-old is set to feature in his 7th Olympics in a few months time and it seems like the desire to win a second Olympic medal is certainly intact. He already has a Singles medal that he clinched in Atlanta in 1996 and now in what surely would be his final shot at winning a Doubles medal at the Games.

The important question however is; where does have a greater chance to win that medal?

From what it looks like, it does seem as if his chances are higher in the Mixed Doubles category, where he is likely to partner Sania Mirza.There is still some uncertainty over whom he would partner in the Men's Doubles and it is hoped that whoever he does so, it gives him an equally good chance to win a medal there as well.

2.Abhinav Bindra

If one had to list out 10 of India's greatest Indian sportspersons, then of the first few names that would form the group would be that of Abhinav Bindra.

In an illustrious career that has spanned almost two decades, Bindra has seen it all, including the holy-grail- An Olympic Gold.

Now as steps into his what is most likely to be final shot at yet another medal, he would be hoping to put his best foot forward and get that second medal that could also bring the curtain downs on an incredible journey.

3.Sushil Kumar

It took an Indian wrestler 56 years to match the feat of KD Jadhav in winning an Olympic medal. Hailing from a small town in Haryana, Sushil Kumar became the second man to do so in Beijing in 2008, when he won the bronze in the 66kg Freestyle category to be only one of India's three medalists at the Games.

Thankfully, India didn't need to wait for such a long time for another medal in the sport at the Olympics as Sushil went from one better from Beijing in London, by claiming the silver in the same category.

Now, in what seems to be his final Olympics at Rio(if he makes the cut). Sushil will be looking to change the colour of the medal to Gold and become the first Indian to achieve the historic feat of winning all three.

4.MC Mary Kom

For any fan, the mention of any sport rings to his ear a particular sportsperson whom he/she relates to.

In the case of boxing, that sportsperson would be MC Mary Kom. The 33-year-old, who won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics when women's boxing was first introduced at the Olympics.

Competing in the 51kg flyweight category, Mary clinched the bronze medal, thereby adding yet another cap to an already glittering career.

Although she hasn't yet made the cut to Rio 2016, Mary still has two more competitions to qualify and she would look to progress at the World Championships next month and then win a second medal in August.

5.Yogeshwar Dutt

The second wrestler to make the list is the recently-qualified Yogeshwar Dutt, who will be featuring in his 4th Olympics in Rio De Janerio in August.

The 33-year-old joined Jadhav and Sushil to clinch India's third wrestling medal, when in London in 2012, he won the bronze in the 60kg Freestyle category.

Ever since that triumph, Dutt has won Golds at both the 2014 Commonwealth Games as well as the Asian Games and will look to win his second Olympic medal at Rio in a few months time.