Yearender 2023: 'From Neeraj Chopra's feat to Asian Games record' - Top 5 moments in Indian sports this year
The year 2023 produced some glorious results for India in the field of sports. Asian Games in Hangzhou was the pinnacle of India's sporting might this year as the country created history in China.
2023 turned out to be a year that will be remembered in Indian sports history for generations to come. Indian athletes displayed their prowess across sporting disciplines to emerge as world beaters, making the entire world notice their potential and applaud in awe. The supremely talented athletes lit up Hangzhou with their sparkling brilliance and passed the 100-medal mark for the first time in their Asiad history.
Asian Games witnessed India claim medals in categories that it could never imagine. Gold in the Dressage team category, steeplechase, women's 5000 m, and women's javelin among others became several firsts for India as athletes put their sweat and blood into making the country proud at the global level.
As we approach the end of 2023, let's rewind and take a trip down memory lane to relive the top five moments that unfolded in Indian sports.
Neeraj Chopra brings the world to his feet
Arguably the poster boy of Indian athletics, Neeraj Chopra, did what was once a far-fetched thought for any Indian athlete - winning a gold at the World Athletics Championships. The trailblazing 25-year-old from Haryana recorded a jaw-dropping effort measuring 88.17 meters in Budapest, Hungary, to add yet another glittering gold medal to his illustrious medal cabinet.
Neeraj's performance helped him become the first-ever Indian athlete to win a gold at the reputed World Athletics Championships.
Virat Kohli leapfrogs childhood hero to attain cult status
India's batting maestro Virat Kohli smashed his 50th ODI century in the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand to move past his cricketing idol Sachin Tendulkar. He recorded the feat in the 42nd over of India's innings and bowed to Sachin who was present in the stands to witness the historic moment unfold right in front of his eyes.
Sachin took to the social media platform X to pen down a heartfelt note for Virat and congratulated him for the feat.
India achieves elusive milestone in Hangzhou
The Indian contingent that was handpicked to compete at Hangzhou showcased a remarkable collaborative effort to surpass the 100-medal mark for the first time in India's Asiad history. The Indian athletes not only dominated sporting disciplines like shooting and archery among others, but they also made their presence felt in events that were never considered their forte.
India opened its account with a silver in the women's 10m air rifle (shooting) event and ended with another silver in the Men's chess team event to finish with 107 medals.
Indian badminton duo floors opponents flat on court with golden smash
The Indian badminton pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved rare air with a record-shattering feat in Hangzhou, China. Ranked world no. 3, Satwik and Chirag routed Republic of Korea’s Choi Sol Gyu and Kim Won Ho 21-18, 21-16 in straight sets in the final to become the first Indians to win an Asiad gold in the sport.
Following title-winning runs at Swiss Open, Asia Championships, Indonesia Open and Korea Open, the Asian Games led to yet another successful outing for the pair.
Indian kabaddi reclaims lost crown
The 2018 edition of the Asian Games saw Indian kabaddi fall from its lofty standards. For the first time in the history of the Asian Games, the men's and the women's kabaddi teams returned home without a glistening yellow-coloured medal around their necks.
Iran's meteoric rise in world kabaddi had denied India the opportunity to claim two certain gold medals in both categories. Hence, 2023 presented both the men's and the women's teams with the chance to make amends and restore pride.
The women's team led the way and held its nerve in an edge-of-seat thriller to pip Chinese Taipei 26-25 and regain the gold. The men's team, under the leadership of Pawan Sehrawat, followed suit and took sweet revenge against Iran in the final to stamp its authority on world kabaddi yet again.
But not before a dramatic chain of events straight out of a Bollywood script resulted in the stoppage of play for more than an hour. Eventually, play resumed and India snatched the gold from Iran with a 33-29 win.