On Monday, the Indian athletes who had stayed back in Tokyo for the closing ceremony of the showpiece event, returned back home. They were greeted to a huge reception in New Delhi as they made their way out of the airport.
“Athletics team is back from #Tokyo2020. Let’s welcome them by sharing our #Cheer4India messages and encourage them for their future competitions,” tweeted SAI Media.
Thousands of fans waited outside the airport to welcome Javelin star and gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, wrestlers Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia, boxer Lovlina Borgohain and the men’s hockey team.
Badminton star PV Sindhu, who won her 2nd Olympic medal, and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu who won a Silver medal on the opening day of the Games, will also join the rest of the medalists at the Ashoka hotel in New Delhi. The two Olympic medalists had reached India after completing their events.
This year the Games were held with COVID-19 induced restrictions and all events were held behind closed doors.
About 11,000 athletes from over 200 countries competed in Tokyo Olympics. India recorded its best-ever haul at the Olympics with seven medals (one gold, two silver, and four bronze).
Neeraj (gold), Bajrang (bronze), Mirabai Chanu (silver), PV Sindhu (bronze), Lovlina Borgohain (bronze), men’s hockey team ( bronze), and Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver) won medals in the Tokyo Games.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya became the 2nd Indian to win a silver in the Wrestling sport, Lovlina Borgohain became the saving grace for the boxing contingent that flattered to deceive and Aditi Ashok’s fine run in Women’s Golf and some good performances in rowing and Racewalking for India.
There were disappointments in sports like shooting and boxing but there were plenty of positives for India. Tokyo 2020 could be seen as India’s hockey renaissance as both their men and women’s hockey teams reached the semi-finals. In fact, the men’s team ended their 41-year-long wait for an Olympic medal.
India started their campaign with a Silver medal from weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and they ended their campaign with a historic gold medal, their first-ever in track and field when Neeraj Chopra won the Men’s Javelin gold on August 8.
