Tokyo Olympics: A record medal haul in the making for India

India’s Tokyo Olympics medal prospects, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. Pics/Getty Images

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju is convinced that Team India will come up with its best-ever medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics (July 23-August 8) despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

India's best show at the Olympics came at London 2012 where six medals were won. And though Rijiju refrained from predicting the number of medals, he did assure a new record haul in Tokyo. "This time we are aiming high, with full confidence and I believe we should do better than any of our previous performances. We are looking forward to creating a new standard, a new record. I think this Olympics will be memorable and highly successful from our point of view," said Rijiju during a virtual interaction organised by the Sports Authority of India on Tuesday.

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu

‘We are behind you'

"I have personally interacted with most of our elite players and Olympians and the message from our side is very clear. ‘We are behind you. You just go and deliver'. That's the kind of confidence we are giving our athletes," added Rijiju, whose ministry has spent R1,000 crore in the last four years towards India's Olympic preparations.

Best arrangements made

The Indian minister also assured all the Tokyo-bound Indian athletes that a safe and secure environment would be provided to them at the Games. "All provisions have been made to ensure that our athletes have been practising in a very safe and secure environment [in India]. In Tokyo too, arrangements are being made to ensure the highest possible level of safety and security. We have ensured that our athletes are not under any mental stress," he said, clarifying that there cannot be any discrimination after the Games' Organising Committee recently prescribed stricter regulations for travellers from 11 countries, including India, due to the COVID-19 situation here.

Kiren Rijiju

"A formal complaint has been lodged and the issue will be addressed. As per the Olympic Charter, there cannot be any discrimination against any country. We will strongly raise any issue that affects our athletes," Rijiju concluded.

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