The Women Squad at The Tokyo Olympics 2020

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 had its opening on July 23, 2021, and the enthusiasm has already kicked started. Earlier it was announced by the International Olympic Committee that this year’s games are being set as a marker for gender-balanced games. Keeping this in mind, India has sent a team of 127 athletes which has a whopping number of 56 female athletes, the highest ever in the history of the games. This has already been proven beneficial with Mirabai Chanu winning a silver medal on the first day of the games in weightlifting. From archery, badminton to boxing, women athletes are taking part in many of the events. Hence, let’s look at the women’s squad that represented the nation at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

1. Tennis

Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina

This is India’s women’s doubles pair which has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Sania Mirza, 34 years old is going to be the first female athlete to represent India in four Olympics so far. This will be a debut showpiece event for Ankita Raina.

2. Badminton

P.V Sindhu- Women’s Singles

Considering her track record at the last Olympics in Rio 2016, where she won a silver medal, India is keeping her hopes up for this one. She has won five World Championship medals and has had a significant amount of success in the sport. After winning the World Championship, she finally reached a Final in 2019. Sadly, Saina Nehwal couldn’t qualify this year, hence India is pinning all their hopes on Sindhu.

Update: P.V Sindhu enters round of 16.

3. Golf

Aditi Ashok

Aditi Ashok is going to be the first female Indian Golfer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 23-year-old hails from Bengaluru and is set to compete in the games. Cheering for this one.

4. Weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu

Already proven, Mirabai bagged a silver medal for India in the games. She is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in the Women’s 49 kg category. Hailing from a small village near Imphal, this was India’s biggest hope for the games.

5. Archery

Deepika Kumari

Even though Kumari had past failures, she is in her best form and had won many competitions. Deepika Kumari has made remarkable progress in recent years and now ranks first in the world in Women’s Recurve Archery. She also won three gold medals at the World Cup in Paris, which just ended.

6. Boxing

a) Lovlina Borgohain – Women’s 49 kgs

First Indian Boxer to confirm her qualification berth in the Olympics. Keeping the hopes up, this Assamese boxer qualified for the Games in March 2020 and became the first female boxer from the state to compete in the Olympics for India.

b) Mary Kom- 51 kgs

One of the top contenders of the game, this six-time world champion is set to represent India in the Tokyo Olympics this year. Known as “Magnificent Mary”, she is eying her second Olympic medal since the London Olympics in 2012. This might be her last game and hence her last chance to claim the medal. We are all cheering for our favourite athlete.

c) Pooja Rani – 75 Kgs

Rani has won her maiden Asian boxing gold in 2019 in the 81 kg event. Pooja Rani, a pugilist, qualified for the Tokyo Olympics following a stellar performance at this year’s Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Dubai. This year, in the Tokyo Olympics, she is set to play in the 75 kg women’s boxing event.

7. Fencing

Bhavani Devi

Devi is the first Indian Fencer to qualify for the games. Her best ranking ever is 36 which she achieved in 2017, and a silver medal in the 2017 world cup marks her biggest achievement. On 26th July, Devi became the first Indian Fencing player ever to win a match in the Olympics, but sadly she lost in the second round. Devi has promised to come back stronger and we are all rooting for her.

8. Athletics

Dutee Chand- 100m and 200m sprints

Confident about having a winning shot these Olympic games, the sprinter qualified for the quadrennial event by the World Rankings quota in both the 100m and 200m events.
Other athletes including Bhawna Jat, qualified for the Women’s 20 km Race Walk. In the Women’s 20 km Race Walk, Priyanka Goswami will represent India in the same, while Kamalpreet Kaur and Seema Punia will compete in the Women’s Discus Throw. And Annu Rani is participating in the Javelin Throw.

9. Wrestling

Vinesh Phogat- 53 kg Women Freestyle

The two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist from India will undoubtedly influence the Summer Games as she was unbeatable in the last year’s world championships. She claimed gold in this year’s Asian championship and is hoping to repeat the same in the Tokyo Olympics.

In addition to her, Anshu Malik has qualified in Women’s 57 kg Freestyle, Seema Bisla for Women’s 50 kg Freestyle and Sonam Malik will represent the nation in Women’s 62 Kg Freestyle.

10. Shooting

Yashaswini Singh Deswal claimed her spot in the 10m Women’s Air Pistol, Individual and Mixed Team, and Manu Bhaker will compete in the 10m Women’s Air Pistol Individual and the 25m Women’s Pistol Individual and Mixed Team events.

Apurvi Chandela is competing in the 10m Women’s Air Rifle, Individual, in the meanwhile. Elavenil Valarivan won the 10m Women’s Air Rifle, Individual and Mixed Team, Rahi Sarnobat won the 25m Women’s Pistol, Individual, Anjum Moudgil won the 50m Women’s Air Rifle 3 places, Individual and Mixed Team, and Tejaswini Sawant won the 50m Women’s Rifle 3 Position, Individual.

11. Hockey

To represent the national game of India, Captain Rani Rampal led a Women’s squad (containing 19 players) that will also compete in Tokyo.

update: Women’s hockey team suffered its third straight defeat, losing to defending champions Great Britain.

12. Judo

Sushila Devi

Sushila Devi will be India’s only participant in Judo at the Tokyo Olympics. After obtaining a continental quota, she qualified for the Olympics. She competes in the 48kg division and is ranked 46th in the world.

Pranati Nayak will compete in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics to show off her skills. The 26-year-old won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in 2019, and after the Asian Championships were cancelled in 2021, she qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.

Manika Batra clinched Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles in Table Tennis, while Sutirtha Mukherjee claimed just Women’s Singles.