The Olympic Games started in Paris in the year 1900. After 124 years, this event is going to be organized in Paris once again. This time 112 athletes are going to participate from India. In its previous edition i.e. Tokyo Olympics 2020, a record 123 athletes from India participated. Not only this, it was also a successful Olympics for India. In this edition, India won a total of 7 medals with 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals. Do you know who won medals for India in Rio Olympics 2016? Let's know.

Daughters had increased the respect

The 2016 Olympics were held in Rio, Brazil. A total of 117 athletes from India participated in this edition. This was the largest group of athletes from India to have participated in the Olympics till that time. However, despite this, India could win only 2 medals, but both of them were historic. This was the first time in the history of the Olympics when only women won medals for India. For the first time after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, it seemed that India would have to return empty-handed, but PV Sindhu managed to win a silver medal in badminton, while Sakshi Malik won a bronze medal in wrestling. This saved India from returning empty-handed.

PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik won medals in the Rio Olympics.

Comeback of women's hockey

The 2016 Rio Olympics was historic from the perspective of women's hockey. In the history of Olympics, the Indian women's hockey team qualified for the Olympics for the third time. The women's hockey team made a comeback after 1980, i.e. after 44 years.

India missed out on 5 medals

India had high hopes from the Rio Olympics, but it could not turn into reality. Many athletes were eliminated after coming close to winning a medal. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Amidst India's sinking hopes, Sakshi Malik opened India's account in the Rio Olympics. At the same time, there were hopes from Vinesh Phogat in wrestling, but she was eliminated due to injury, due to which a medal will have to be lost.

Apart from Vinesh Phogat, India had missed out on winning 5 more medals in the Rio Olympics. Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna, Dipa Karmakar, Kidambi Srikanth, Vikas Krishnan and the Indian men's hockey team had performed well in the group stage, but all of them lost in the quarter-finals or semi-finals.

Sania, Bopanna miss out on medals

Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza are two of the biggest names in tennis from India. Both of them reached the semi-finals of the doubles tennis event at the Rio Olympics, but lost to the American pair. Despite this, they had a chance to win the bronze medal, but they fell one step short of it. In the match for the third spot, the Czech Republic pair defeated them.

Apart from them, there were a lot of expectations from the Indian men's hockey team. This team had many big names, they also displayed a brilliant game in the group stage, but despite taking the lead in the quarter-finals, the team lost to Belgium.

Everyone was expecting a medal from former world number 1 badminton player Kidambi Srikanth, but he was eliminated after losing to a Chinese shuttler. Similarly, Indian boxer Vikas Krishnan lost to a boxer from Uzbekistan after winning his two bouts. Apart from these two, gymnast Dipa Karmakar surprised everyone by qualifying for the first time in 52 years, but could not progress much and finished at the fourth position.

Big names disappointed

Many experienced and famous players like Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna, Jwala Gutta, Yogeshwar Dutt, Saina Nehwal, Ashwini Ponnappa and Sharath Kamal participated in the Rio Olympics. All these players had a long experience, some had even won Olympic medals. Despite this, they could not win any medal.

India's badminton star Saina Nehwal was world number 1 in 2015. She had also won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, but could not do anything special in 2016. She was eliminated in the group stage itself. Similarly, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, who play as a pair in badminton, were eliminated in the group stage itself after losing 3 matches.

Disappointment in table tennis

Table tennis player Sharath Kamal and tennis doubles players Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes also could not go beyond the first round. Yogeshwar Dutt, who won bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics, also lost in the first round in wrestling. Apart from this, famous 100 meter race sprinter Dutee Chand also disappointed.

There was nothing amazing in the shooting too

Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai, Heena Sidhu, who made India proud in shooting, could not do anything special in Rio Olympics. Abhinav Bindra had won the gold medal in 2008 Beijing Olympics. Gagan Narang won the bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics. Apart from this, Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu were world number one in shooting, but could not do anything special in 10 meter air pistol.