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The most prestigious sports show of the year- Beijing Olympics 2008 is over with lots of ping pong. The hosting country, China is at the top with 51 Gold medals, 21 Silver medals and 28 Bronze medals.  USA followed China with 36 Gold medals, 38 Silver medals and 36 Bronze medals. Although, India far away from these winning countries but this years Olympics had created historical records with first ever individual Gold and 2 Bronze medals.

This can be considered best performance by India. Abhinav Bindra won the first gold in Olympics in Shooting, Sushil Kumar catch Bronze in Wrestling while Vijendra Kumar gets first Bronze in Boxing.

Comparative to earlier performances India has recorded good points in Olympics but why we never get good number of medals in Olympics? India, the biggest democracy of the world and second largest populated country has very few medals at the name of Olympics. A lone gold till now at the Olympics makes one wonder, Can India ever match China and USA when it comes to winning medals at the Olympics? What are the reasons? May be the following points are responsible to some extent behind our failure:

Infrastructure: A proper infrastructure is needed to encourage any sports. Most of our concern remain on cricket which is nowhere in Olympics. Other games of interest in Olympics remain ignored like shooting, Athletics, Gymnastics etc. These players need support to have an enthusiastic spirit. How medals can is expected without proper infrastructure to these sports? Proper utilization of funds is required for different sports to flourish.

Cricket: Cricket is the most adored and played sports not only in India but all over the world. Cricket is played on every street in India. People got crazy when it comes to cricket and left everything to watch the battle between two teams on cricket ground. It gives everything from money and fame to respect. That is why every person who loves sports wants to make his career in cricket. This is one of the biggest factor because of which we are lacking in the major sports events. Other sports get hide behind cricket and get less value comparatively.

Politics in sports organization: we try to dominate in all the sports and due to this the focus shifts from the player to the authorities in these games. This is because of politics in sports organization which lads to a failure in Olympics and hence no medals.

Lack of efficient government and legislation: India does not lack in talent. Indians have lots of buried talent which needs to dig up. But government is not providing adequate facilities and finance needs which make the talent lost. Without these efforts India can not organize a team to lead in Olympics, bureaucratic and in-efficient democratic system and poor lead ship makes India unable to coordinate all interests behind the game.

Our Will Power: Lack of will power makes the sports dull and there become no chance of winning any medal. Will power is a must and must thing to achieve success. Sushil Kumar, Vijender Kumar, is those who win medals this year by their strong will power.

Encouragement from Schools: Children learn from their schools. Their sports play list enlists mostly cricket, football, hockey and tennis. Other games like shooting, boxing, gymnastics are given little or no importance. No good facilities are provided for these games. But these games are included in Olympics and hence enough talent is not created in youngsters for these games which makes India avoid of any good number of medals in Olympics.

Tags: Bronze Medal, China, Cricket, gold medal, India, Infrastructure, Medals, Olympics, Politics, Silver Medal, USA

After winning two medals in the prestigious Beijing Olympics, India is ready to get the third one as the boxer Vijendra Kumar enters the semifinals after defeating Carlos Gongora of Ecuador in the quarterfinal of the 75kg category bout on Wednesday. The victory ensured at least a Bronze for India.

Vijendra Kumar, boxer from a small town Bhiwani in Haryana, managed to gift India the first ever Olympic medal in boxing. He dominated the entire bout and won the quarter finals by 9-4. He entered the quarter finals after defeating Thailand’s Champuphuang Angkhan 13-3 in a one sided match.

There was no answer to upper cuts and jabs by Vijender and the rival had no clue as to what was going. Vijender is benefited by his height and long reach to unnerve the Thai who looked confused

Earlier in the Asian Championship in Ulan Bator, Mongolia Vijender had lost to the Thai. Now with this historical victory he has taken his that revenge also.

The Haryana lad is now one of the India’s best medal hope. Wrestler Sushil Kumar had won a bronze in the freestyle event earlier in the day whereas Abhinav Bindra won first-ever Olympics gold medal for the country in the 10meter air rifle event.

Tags: beijing olympics, Bhiwani, Bronze Medal, gold medal, Haryana, India, Olympics, Vijendra Kumar

Abhinav Bindra clinched first ever individual Olympic gold medal for India on Monday in the men’s 10m air rifle shooting. The gold has set India to 10th place in overall Olympics medal tally in Beijing.

Bindra, the 25-year-old businessman from Chandigarh, followed his world championship title two years ago to finally win a landmark gold medal for India. Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland took the bronze at the Beijing Shooting Hall in Beijing.

Bindra won by scoring 700.5 points, 596 in the qualifier and 104.5 in the final to claim the gold. He overcame a two-point deficit against Hakkinen and one point against Zhu after the qualification rounds to hold the title.

Zhu came in with 699.7 this time and Hakkinen, a member of Finland’s armed forces who is taking part in his first Olympics, scored 699.4 points.

While talking to media, the sharpshooter said gladly, “I can’t describe how happy I am, it’s the thrill of my life. That’s about it. It’s hard to describe. I just went for it. I knew I was lying in fourth. Thankfully it went my way and I just went for it.”

Fellow Indian shooter, Gagan Narang who scored 595, too almost made it to the final leveling at the fifth place but lost out on a final place in count back.

Bindra, a Khel Ratna awardee, won the 2006 world championships and finished seventh in Athens four years ago.

Tags: abhinav bindra, beijing olympics, first olympic gold, gold medal, indian shooter, Olympics, Shooting

Monica Devi, the Indian weightlifter who was found guilty in dope test and withdrawn from the Indian Olympic contingent on Tuesday night claims that the tests were faulty and she is innocent.

Giving her clarification Monica said, “I don’t know how it has happened. So far the tests that took place haven’t shown any indications. Politics has been played with me. So far four tests have taken place. The results of these four tests haven’t come out yet. A player will never commit such mistakes.”

Pleading innocence after being denied a Beijing flight last night in controversial circumstances, she said, “I am innocent and I am being targeted. This according to me is politics played by Shailaja, along with the Association. I won’t make such a mistake at all because I don’t want to end my career like this,”

While addressing a press conference, she said, “Forget life ban, and give me public execution if I am dope cheat.”

Monika was India’s lone entrant in the 69 kg category and had won silver and two bronze in the Asian Championships in Japan in May this year. She qualified amidst controversy surrounding the other candidate Shailaja Pujari who was accused of bribing the IWF Secretary.

The Indian team got a shock as Monica Devi, who was being dubbed as a medal hope was withdrawn from the squad after she allegedly failed a dope test just hours before the team was to depart for Beijing.

Addressing the media along with Monica was General Secretary of IWF BR Gulati who said, ”There are all chances that samples could have been changed or samples could have been polluted as well. We had informed the government in writing about the inability of the lab to conduct proper test.”

“The entire thing has been sabotaged and it needs to be thoroughly checked.” He added.

Tags: beijing olympics, dope test, monica devi, Olympics, weight lifter

The International Olympics at Beijing is going to start at 8pm on 8 August, 2008, 08/08/08 and the sports celebration will continue for 16 days till 24 August.

The number eight is considered by the Chinese as a very special number and the Olympics opening ceremony will therefore start at 08:08:08, that is 8 minutes and 8 seconds past 8 in the evening (Beijing time) on the 8th day of August in the year’08. According to the reports, grand fireworks are planned by the organizers on the opening ceremony which the whole world can watch. This will be the opening and a very important moment for the celebration; hence all the possible problems are under consideration. But what if it starts raining that time??

China’s Scientists are worried about this possibility and they are engaged in the solution of this possible problem which can ruin the whole celebration. Till now, scientists are trying to make possible that in case, rain clouds come on the day, their path can be averted by rocket attack. They will be targeted by rockets and rain drops will be converted into ice that could be kicked away by rockets.

The whole world is focused on the games. With almost every country represented, there will be something to cater for everyone.

A bumper 29 sports will be on display. These are: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese organizers BOCOG have agreed to lift all Internet restrictions for the Beijing Games, IOC vice-president Gunilla Lindberg told reporters on Friday.

This issue had caused major stir days before the start of Olympics with IOC officials insisting there would be no censorship and BOCOG saying sensitive sites would remain blocked.

Top stars will be taking part. Athletics will have Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay in the sprints. Isinbayeva in the Pole Vault, Kenisa Bekela the great Ethiopian long distant runner and all the top Kenyans. Federer and Nadal and the Williams sisters will participate in Tennis. Kobe Byrant and Lebron James in basketball and Ronaldinho will be in football.

Tags: Archery, Asafa Powell, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Bejing, Boxing, Canoeing, Celebration, China, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Federer, Fencing, Fireworks, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, IOC, Isinbayeva, Judo, Kenisa Bekela, Kobe Byrant, Lebron James, Modern Pentathlon, Nadal, Olympics, Rain, Ronaldinho, Rowing, Sailing, Scientists, Shooting, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Williams sisters, Wrestling

A small time period of 70 minutes in Hockey ground were proved to be heavy on the 80 years of Indian History! Britain’s Hockey team defeated the Indians in final of World’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament by 2-0 at the Prince of Wales Country Club, in Santiago, Chile, on Sunday. With this shameful lose, India is out from the Olympics going to happen in China in coming August of this year. First time in Indian history of 80 years, we lose the Olympics.

Eight-time gold medalists India failed to make it to the Olympics for the first time since their debut in 1928. After this loses, Indian coach Jokim Karwalwoh and his staff colleagues announced for their resignation.

Britain players have shown wonderful play and made 2 goals at the very start of the game against India. Barry Middleton made goal at 4th minute and Richard Mantell on 10th for Britain. Prabhjot from Indian team had shown good efforts to ease the pressure from the opposite team but all in vain. Britain beaten India 3-2 in the league and capitalized on the two early chances that came their way, while the Indians did not.

Why Indians lose the game. How this shining history of History faded today? Whoever is successful in Indian market becomes the icon. Everywhere it is cricket which is beating the drum. From news channels to entertainment channels, all the sources of media shows cricket only. There is no place for hockey. Every Indian is more concerned for Gavaskar, Bradman, Richards, and all Indian and foreign players while they even don’t remind Dhyaanchand and K.D Singh, Ashok Kumar and Mohd. Shahid. Hockey players are not responsible for it. They have a ‘constabulary’ attitude which made them to lose.

Market is developing in the Indian Economy and it is Cricket which became the icon, touching great heights while Hockey is pushed to floor from its position. Indian hockey gets buried in Santiago. It is first time in 80 years history when Indian hockey team is not participating in Olympics. When we are poor in all other games in Olympics, it is Hockey where we always have high expectations to win the gold. But England has spoiled all the expectations of entering Olympics after defeating India by 2-0 in Santiago.

Cricket players have money, respect and have market price too. They can’t be put to live with constabulary attitude. But the hockey players Tirki and Dhanraj Pillae have nothing like that. They have only instructions and scolding from Gill. If hockey is to be saved than constabulary attitude should be taken out of the players so that they can play naturally.

Hockey is not getting the proper expansion in India. It is limited to only a small area of a few villages of Punjab. A few students of Varansi can also be seen with Hockey sticks. In reel life, Bollywood star Shahrukh acts as a hockey coach in his film (Chak De!) but buys Kolkatta team of IPL team in real life!

Middle class families are developing speedily and they have no craze for hockey. The schools where their kids are studying have no space for the national game. There will be no entry to public schools till there is no respect for the game among the middle class families.

But middle class people are more professional and needs return from every investment. Cricket, Golf, Tennis and Formula 1 race can give name and fame to their kids but they don’t want their kids to be constable of Mr. Gill.

Hockey is the national game of Indians and its current plight is the symbol of dissipation of Indian culture. We taught hockey to this world and we are today out of the Olympics. Cricket was the symbol of slavery and English man taught the game to us for their entertainment only. But never mind! Cricket players are doing good and the won the crown for their heads.

Now its time to speak Indian money in hockey grounds also. European countries are able to made changes in rules for hockey according to their benefit. Power hockey replaced classical hockey. Pakistan and India are today lagging behind in Hockey. But its time when Indian money can speak on the top of the world and rules can be forced again to change in favour of India and Pakistan. In Cricket world, we are at the top and we can create a bang in hockey world also by using Indian money. This can bring the classical hockey back.

But today we have lots of question in mind. Today the condition of hockey is not even near of being called a national game. Will Indian hockey ever regain its grace? Or there should be changes for the choice of national game?

Tags: Hockey, India, Olympics