Anju Bobby George Predicts Lower Medal Count for India at Glasgow Commonwealth Games
Anju Bobby George's Insights on India's Medal Prospects
Renowned Indian athlete Anju Bobby George has expressed her belief that India will secure fewer medals at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which commence on July 23. She anticipates a total of around 30 medals, a significant drop from the 61 medals achieved during the 2022 Games, where athletics contributed eight medals to the tally. Anju, who earned a bronze medal at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, stated, "I am not expecting a tally like in 2022... definitely not 61 medals. I expect somewhere around 30 medals. Though most of our athletes are in peak form, we are expecting a slightly lower tally this time," as reported by a media outlet.
She elaborated on her expectations, noting that many events where India traditionally excels are not included this time. The 2026 Commonwealth Games have reduced the number of sports from 20 to 10, omitting key disciplines such as wrestling, badminton, hockey, cricket, squash, table tennis, and shooting, which could impact India's medal prospects.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), where Anju serves as vice-president, has dispatched a 22-member team to Glasgow, a decrease from the 37 athletes who participated in Birmingham in 2022. Leading the Indian athletics squad is star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who recently returned to competition at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, finishing fourth with a throw of 85.69m after recovering from a lower back injury.
The men's javelin throw event is expected to be fiercely contested, featuring competitors like Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who leads the season with a throw of 92.62m, and Rohit Yadav, who has the second-best throw at 87.05m. Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem and Grenada's Anderson Peters will also be in the mix. Despite concerns regarding Neeraj's fitness, Anju remains hopeful for India to clinch two medals in javelin throw. "Men’s javelin will be highly competitive because Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem will also be competing. Neeraj is also coming back from injury. Rohit (Yadav) is there as well. I feel India can hope for two medals from men’s javelin," she remarked.
Additionally, Anju is optimistic about India's performance in other track and field events. She highlighted Sarvesh Kusare's potential in the men's high jump and expressed confidence in the men's long jump and triple jump for medal opportunities. Long-distance runner Gulveer Singh is also seen as a contender in the 5,000m and 10,000m events, while Parul Chaudhary is expected to perform well among the women.
In total, India has sent a contingent of 125 athletes to the Games, a reduction from the 322 who competed in Birmingham.