Tokyo 2020
68.3% of the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympics will be making their Olympic debut
A whopping 68.3% of the total qualified athletes from India will be making their Olympic debut when they take the stage in Tokyo.
Indian fencer Bhavani Devi (Source: Bhavani Devi/Facebook)
The qualification period for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has officially ended, and as many as 120 Indian sportspersons have made the cut to the quadrennial event, which will start in a little under three weeks in Japan.
While a lot of the veterans, who were expected to qualify, have booked their ticket to Tokyo, quite a few have missed out. But what stands out is the fact that a whopping 68.3% of the total qualified athletes from India will be making their Olympic debut when they take the stage in Tokyo.
Yes, out of the total 120 athletes who will be representing India in Tokyo, a whopping 82 would be making their Olympic debut. On the other hand, the remaining 38 have competed at the Olympics before.
A total of 120 Indian athletes booked their ticket to Tokyo. Here's a sport-wise breakdown of the entire Indian contingent. 👇
— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) July 7, 2021
🇮🇳 In which sport do you think India has the best chance of winning a medal? #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/N6THcUseeG
The debutants include some of the very prominent names and medal contenders like Saurabh Chaudhary, Manu Bhaker, Bajrang Punia, Neeraj Chopra and others. Besides, Bhavani Devi will become the first-ever Indian fencer at the Olympics, while Nethra Kumanan will become the first-ever woman sailor from India to compete in the Olympics.
Aged 41 years, the 50m rifle 3 positions shooter Tejaswini Sawant will become India's oldest-ever Olympic debutant when she takes to the shooting range in Tokyo. While fellow rifle shooter Diyansh Singh Panwar will be the youngest member of the Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympics.
The Indian contingent will also have in its ranks veterans like Sania Mirza and Seema Punia – both of whom will be playing the fourth Olympics of their career in Tokyo.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is expected to start from 23rd July 2021 and run until 8th August 2021. The first batch of athletes from India is scheduled to depart for Tokyo on 14th July 2021.
India will have two flag bearers in the opening ceremony in the form of Olympic veterans MC Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh. In contrast, the same responsibility for the closing ceremony is bestowed upon an Olympic debutant – wrestler Bajrang Punia.
