Indian women in Olympics

In Rio Olympics 2016, India sending its largest-ever contingent of sportspersons to the Olympics and nearly half of the people in that group are women.

The first Indian woman to ever win a medal at the Olympics was weightlifter Karnam Malleswari and No Indian has won an Olympic medal for weightlifting since.

The women heading to Rio this year have an amazing experience on their field, sportswomen like 18-year-old golfer Aditi Ashok is the first Indian woman golfer to qualify for Rio Olympics, as 2016 marks the first time golf will be played at the Olympics, and table tennis singles player Mouma Das, who played in the 2004 Olympics. The other female table tennis player to qualify this year is 20-year-old Manika Batra — who won three golds and a silver at the recent 12th South Asian Games. Renuka Yadav, became Chattisgarh’s first Olympian when she was named in the 16-member hockey squad announced on Tuesday 12 July. India’s top marathoner OP Jaisha from Kerala, now on her way to Rio Olympics. The famous names headed to Rio this time are Sania Mirza, who will play mixed and women’s tennis doubles; Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, who will play badminton singles and Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta who will play badminton doubles.

Dipa Karmakar from Tripura is the first Indian gymnast to ever qualify for the Olympics. Some of the women break national records to qualify for Rio Olympics are Dutee Chand, who is only the second Indian woman to qualify for the 100m after PT Usha did in 1980. She beat her own national record of 11.33 seconds in April this year to qualify for Rio with a timing of 11.30 seconds. Shot putter Manpreet Kaur shattered an 18-year-old national record (17.43 m) to qualify for the Olympics. She threw 17.96m.

Nirmala Sheoran from Haryana, who beat her personal best in 400m by over two seconds. Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Majhi from archery, who are participating in women’s individual as well as team events. When it comes to shooting, Apurvi Chandela and Ayonika Paul will participate in the 10 m air rifle event, while former World No 1 Heena Sidhu, who won a gold for the 10 m air pistol event at the 13th Asian Shooting Championship last year, will shoot in the 10m air pistol and 20m pistol events at Rio Olympics. Manipuri weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who broke a record that remained undefeated for over a decade, set by fellow Manipuri and weightlifting legend Nameirakpam Kunjarani Devi in June 2016.