2003 -- What a year for Indian sport!

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 3:04 pm

oh allright......i wouldn't know, almost 40 years had to pass until i was born!!!is that then our most succesful olympiad?

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 5:00 pm

Yep. We were also a whisker away from a medal in Football (Soccer). Led Yugoslavia 2-1 until a few minutes before the end of the semi-final encounter, but conceded two late goals to lose 2-3. (I think this happened in 1952, but could possibly have happened in 1956). In 1956, we won the hockey gold and Milkha Singh finished 4th in the 400m (despite breaking the old Olympic record). We lost the hockey gold for the first time in 1960 (silver).

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 11:12 pm

PKB, I feel silly to correct you since you always have the right information

, however, it was at the 1956 Olympics in Australia that India finished fourth in football, and Milkha Singh finished fourth at the Rome Olympics in 1960. From what I have heard, a few Indian football players played barefoot in the 1956 Olympics and rules were later modified to make the players wear shoes during football matches. Milkha Singh also led until the third turn on the track in the finals at Rome and then was overtaken by three runners. Milkha Singh was noted for his fast starts and usually finished slower, and for this reason he often was the first runner on the Indian 4x400 meters relay team.

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:02 am

Thanks Bhushan. Milkha Singh mentions in his autobiography that he was in the lead even at the final bend, but then committed the cardinal error of casting a sideways glance to see where his rivals were. That probably cost him the silver and perhaps even the gold. It was a photofinish between 2nd, 3rd and 4th. All four broke the Olympic record. If only he hadn't cast that sideways glance....!

david · Post by **david** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 7:27 pm

Its all in the state of mind.

Once Milkha told me, suddenly after the 300M mark he told himself Milkha you are running too fast. That is when he turned his head.

If that thought not cropped up, he would have easily won the gold. In the year preceding the Olympics he won so many events and beat all the finalists in some meet or the other that year.

Bad Luck! Ughh.

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 7:17 am

Wow, david, you chat with Milkha Singh? Tell us more...

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 7:27 am

I was born in 1964, and have only known the pleasure of one Olympic gold -- when India beat Spain in the final in Moscow, 1980. Spain was among the top 6 teams in the world then, so this was not a completely empty victory (but made a bit less meaningful by the absence of 4 of the top teams in the world). Nonetheless I remember the exhilaration of that triumph quite palpably.
I recall feeling a similar exhilaration at every step of Leander's magnificent run to the bronze in 1996, and measured joy (mixed with relief!) at Karnam Malleshwari's bronze in 2000.
Hopefully the long-felt thirst of the Indian sports fan will be quenched by our triumphs on the tennis courts, hockey fields and shooting ranges of Athens -- if not wholly or in full measure, then very substantially.

Post by **Dhruv** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 1:14 pm

Rediff has a poll for the best achievement of the year

http://inhome.rediff.com:80/sports/2003/dec/09ach.htm

I voted for Anju, as the first Indian to win anything at an international meet of that stature. Go ahead and vote as well

Post by **Dhruv** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 5:12 pm

And the list is getting longer. David has confirmed that Narain K will testing for a possible drive with Minardi in the F1 for next year. Dec 10,11,12.

Thanks a lot David.

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 1:54 pm

David is a journalist, and a very good one at that...full name and details?

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 4:53 am

I guess the rediff vote shows the popularity of each sport!!!!
I too voted for Anju !!! Dhurv is it possible to set up compile a list of achievements that forum members think are the tops?

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:34 pm

I voted early, and for the Indian hockey team. Asian Cup and Afro-Asian Games champions, as well as the winners of 4-nation events in Germany and Australia this year. Peerless this year.

david · Post by **david** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:27 pm

Oops, it's turning out to be......embarassing

My Name is B David. B for Bodapati is not for byline. I am with the New Indian Express at Bangalore. Worked at Madras also.

I am just a sports journalist and I love hockey. Of late, specialising in motorsport too.

But I guess, the guys here know better....specialists in every field.

.....its time I request Dhruv to remove the `journalist' tag from my profile.

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:48 pm

Good to have you here in the forum, David. Reading the comments of an Indian sports journalist in this forum is valuable for Indian sports fans like us, and especially for those of us who are based outside India. David, you get us news that we cannot find any where else, so keep up the good work.

I voted for Anju because she finished third in the world championship, did well on the European circuit, and achieved her success single handedly in a highly competitive field. I admire her courage and dedication, and wish her continued success in 2004.

I wish rediff had also asked the fans to rate the athletes, and I would have put the Indian hockey team second, Anand third, Arjun Atwal fourth and Advani fifth.

Dhruv, would you like to set up a poll for our forum members and ask them to rank the five? Can the ranking be done?

Post by **Dhruv** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:02 pm

Dhruv, would you like to set up a poll for our forum members and ask them to rank the five? Can the ranking be done?

Next version, when I upgrade and have time to upgrade.

Next year by the looks of it now