Tokyo Olympics: 5 most experienced Indian athletes going to the Games

More than 100 Indian athletes have already qualified for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, while many are still aiming to make the cut. With less than 50 days left for the mega-event to kick-start, the preparations are in full swing.

Even though the pandemic situation continues to pose a threat, the entire nation will keep its eyes hooked on the screen once the spectacle gets underway on July 23.

Most of the athletes in the Indian contingent are going to make their debut at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, even though some have already had a taste of the occasion. Some athletes are set to make their final appearance at the Games.

Let us have a look at the 5 most experienced Indian athletes going to the Tokyo Olympics 2021:

#5 Deepika Kumari (Archery)

Deepika Kumari is a former World No.1 in Women's Archery (Recurve)

One of India’s brightest medal prospects, Deepika Kumari boasts a glorious trophy cabinet. However, the one missing piece in there is an Olympic medal, even though she has featured in two previous editions.

The recurve archer made her Olympic debut in London nine years ago, but lost to Germany’s Amy Oliver in the opening round of the individual event. However, the women’s team, which she was a part of, reached the round of 16.

Deepika went in as one of the favorites at the 2016 Rio Olympics. After storming through the first couple of rounds, she was outclassed by Chinese Taipei’s Tan Ya-ting in the round of 16. In the team event, the trio of Deepika, Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Majhi were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Deepika has already secured a quota for the women's individual event at the upcoming Games. However, the women’s team, which is currently gearing up for the World Cup in Paris, is yet to make the cut.

#4 Sanjeev Rajput (Shooting)

Sanjeev Rajput (middle) will feature in his third Olympic Games

The sailor-turned-shooter has been around for a long time, marking his international debut with a bronze each in rifle events at the 2006 editions of the Commonwealth and Asian Games.

However, it was in 2008 that Sanjeev Rajput made his debut at the Olympics. Despite qualifying for multiple events, he failed to advance to the final round in any of them.

However, at the 2012 London, Sanjeev Rajput qualified for just one event -- 50m rifle three positions. He again had a disappointing outing, finishing 26th and failing to enter the medal rounds.

After missing out on the 2016 Rio edition, Sanjeev, at the age of 40, is flying to Tokyo as one of the most experienced of the 15 shooters in the Indian contingent. This might well be his last opportunity to win an Olympic medal. The men's 50m rifle three positions event at Tokyo is scheduled for August 1-2.

#3 Tarundeep Rai (Archery)

Tarundeep Rai made his first appearance at the Olympis in 2004

Hailing from Sikkim, the recurve archer was only 19 when he featured at the 2003 Asian Archery Championships and made his Olympics debut a year later, in Athens.

But a lack of big stage experience meant he was ousted in the first round itself in the individual category, with a narrow defeat at the hands of Greek competitor Alexandros Karageorgiou. However, the men’s team finished in the 10th position overall.

Despite his achievements on the international stage, which included a silver at the 2005 world championships and a bronze at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Tarundeep failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 2012 London Games gave Tarundeep fresh hope as the archer once again qualified for the individual as well as team events. While he was eliminated in the round of 32 by South Korea’s Kim Bub-min in the individual category, Tarundeep, along with Jayanta Talukdar and Rahul Banerjee, lost to Japan in the team event pre-quarterfinals.

Having qualified for the men's individual and team events again for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, it's likely to be his last opportunity to grab an Olympic medal.

#2 Sania Mirza (Tennis)

Sania Mirza is a six-time Grand Slam winner

Arguably one of the most successful Indian tennis players, Sania Mirza has come a long way since making her professional debut in 2003. The six-time Grand Slam doubles winner's first appearance at an Olympics was in 2008 Beijing, where she lost her opening singles tie to Czech Republic’s Iveta Benešová. She, however, reached the round of 16 of the women’s doubles event in the company of Sunitha Rao.

A first-round exit was all she managed at the 2012 London Olympics in the women’s doubles event. Sania featured in both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles events four years later, in Rio de Janeiro.

Despite her run with Prarthana Thombare being halted in the first round itself, she reached the semi-finals in mixed doubles with experienced campaigner Mahesh Bhupathi. That was her best performance at the mega-event.

The 34-year-old Sania Mirza will team up with Ankita Raina in the women’s doubles event in Tokyo. The women’s double’s event at the upcoming Games will commence on July 24.

#1 Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis)

Sharath Kamal in action during the 2016 Rio Olympics

Sharath Kamal has been the poster boy of Indian table tennis for several years, with him reaching unprecedented heights of success at the international level.

He is going strong at the age of 38 and the Chennai-based paddler will make his fourth appearance at the Olympics next month, making him one of the most experienced athletes going to Tokyo.

In fact, his debut at the mega-event was back in Athens. After an inspiring opening-round win over Algeria’s Mohamed Boudjadja, he was shown the door by Hong Kong’s Ko Lai-chak in the succeeding fixture of the men’s singles event.

A change of venue failed to change the outcome, as Sharath succumbed to a second-round defeat at the hands of Austria’s Chen Weixing in Beijing 2008. The nine-time national champion, however, failed to secure a berth at the 2012 London Olympics.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sharath was drawn against Romanian legend Adrian Crisan, who outclassed the Indian with a set score of 1-4. The men's singles and mixed doubles in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics could well be his final appearance at the quadrennial event.