Which Indians can win medals at 2018 Commonwealth Games?
What's the story
In a couple of hours, the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will kick off in Australia. India have sent a 218-member strong contingent for the quadrennial event. India have performed well at these games in the past. In 2014 India bagged 64 medals and fans hope that they can improve that tally. Here is a list of India's top medal contenders.
Badminton
Shuttle queen PV Sindhu
The current queen of Indian badminton, world number 3 and Rio 2016 silver medalist, PV Sindhu is India's biggest medal hope at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Sindhu's toughest opponents would be Michelle Li and Kirsty Gilmour. They won the gold and silver medals respectively at Glasgow in 2014. She won a bronze in 2014, but can she better it at Gold Coast this year?
Wrestling
Grappling ace Sakshi Malik
Sakshi Malik arrived at the international stage 4 years ago in Glasgow, where she bagged a silver medal. Two years later, she won a bronze at the Rio Olympics, thus becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal. Sakshi also bagged a gold at the Commonwealth World Championships in 2017. Hopefully, Sakshi would add another feather to her cap.
Shooting
Teenage shooting sensation Manu Bhaker
This 16-year-old girl has taken the shooting fraternity by storm. After taking to the sport just two years ago, she has seen a rapid rise. She won two gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup in Mexico and also bagged 3 gold medals at the ISSF junior World Cup. She broke Heena Sidhu's national record and has 15 medals at the national stage.
Javelin Throw
Fast rising Neeraj Chopra
20-year-old Neeraj is one of the brightest prospects in Indian sports. He bagged the gold in javelin throw at the Asian Athletics Championship in 2017 with an effort of 85.23 meters. He has competed in three Diamond League series and at the London World Championships. This lad can hurl a spear but will it be enough to bag a medal?
Badminton
World number two Kidambi Srikanth
Four years ago, Kidambi Srikanth made his Commonwealth Games debut but was knocked out in the quarter-final. Now he is heading to Gold Coast as the world number 2 in men's badminton. Srikanth's toughest opponents would be world number 6 Lee Chong Wei and fellow Indians HS Prannoy and Sai Praneeth. All three are ranked lower than him, which makes Srikanth the favourite.