The first sport that comes to the mind of every Indian today is arguably cricket. Most probably, all of us have heard stories of how India managed to lift the dramatic 1983 Cricket World Cup, where Kapil Dev became the second captain in the history of the game to win the most precious trophy. Whereas, England, the country which gave birth to the game of cricket, took more than 35 years to clinch their first-ever title. However, if we look back at the early 20th century it was in Hockey that India gained more respect than cricket and left the Britishers far behind in the sport. Let’s have a look at how India evolved over the years in field Hockey!

History and Origin

Hockey is one of the sports that evolved from prehistoric man’s pleasure of stick and ball games. It is a game played on a field by two teams using curved sticks and a small hardball. It originated in Asia, and authorities attribute its invention to Persia around 2000 BC. The origins of hockey can be traced back to 5000 years ago in Egypt. Hockey as we know it today (modern hockey) originated in England. Irish hurling was the true ancestor of hockey. In 1861, the first hockey club was formed in Black-heath. England and Ireland played the first international match in 1895. Hockey was first included in the modern Olympic Games in the year 1908.

Birth of Hockey in India

Hockey arrived in India via British regiments and soon became one of the most established sports in the country. Hockey was Britisher’s favourite pastime after cricket. The first hockey club in India was established in Calcutta in 1885-86, and Bombay and Punjab soon followed suit. The Indian hockey team won its first Olympic gold medal without conceding a single goal in its Olympic debut at the 1928 Amsterdam Games. The magician of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand was the defining feature of this resilient dominance. From 1928 to 1956, the ruthless Indian Hockey team won six consecutive Olympic gold medals while winning 25 games on the trot. During this golden phase, India managed to score 178 goals while conceding just seven.

The Glory Years

This was the most beautiful period of Indian hockey when India achieved greater heights in world hockey and produced some of the game’s greatest players. During this age of dominance, Balbir Singh was one of the players who did wonders for his team by performing exceptionally well in several games. Balbir Singh was a crucial part of the great Indian teams of 1948, 1952, and 1956. He reached his pinnacle of success in 1952 when he scored five goals in a 6-1 gold medal victory over the Netherlands in Helsinki. It was one of the most memorable moments for Balbir Singh and the whole of India.

Disheartening loss to Arch-rivals Pakistan

The winning streak finally came to an end in 1960, when Pakistan defeated India in the final of the Rome Olympics. It was the saddest day in the history of Indian hockey. However, the impeccable record created by India is still not broken by any other country which is a huge success in itself.

Revenge Time

Returning from a heartbreaking final loss to rivals Pakistan, the Indian Hockey team began their 1964 Olympic campaign with trepidation. They drew 1-1 with Spain first, then drew again with Germany. But as the tournament progressed India got back on track and managed to win all of the remaining matches to top their table. In the semi-finals, India easily defeated Australia 3-1, to book their place in the final against Pakistan. It was a perfect stage set for India to take their revenge for the loss of the Rome Olympics. As expected, the Indians were completely ruthless on the field and defeated Pakistan 1-0 to clinch the seventh Olympic gold medal.

An Alarming Decline and Years of Near Misses

Struggling to regain their place among the masses and chasing that elusive title like a dog after a car, saw the sport plummet to dramatic lows after the 80s. The Indian Hockey team’s last major success in the competition was a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. After that, Indian hockey showed a huge decline in the sport as cricket came into the picture and completely overshadowed all other sports. Especially after the 1983 World Cup win, cricket overtook hockey in terms of viewership, participation, and media interest as well. Hockey lost its popularity and the team’s performance declined over the next 25 years, which was heartbreaking as it is the national sport of India. Though it was a painful period, it doesn’t kill the love between the sport and its supporters, and only strengthens that bond.

Rebirth and Ecstasy of Hockey Heaven in the Future?

Eventually, the train is coming back to its track as the new generation of young hockey players are taking India’s game back to its roots with some thrilling performances, lately. After a very long wait, the Indian men’s team won its first-ever medal in a major competition, a silver medal, at the Champions Trophy in 2016. And, finally, after a long drought of 41 years in the Olympics, the Indian men’s hockey team recreated history by defeating Germany 5-4 to win the bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The next few years are shaping up to be pivotal in the long-term future of the sport. A little year in the hell doesn’t preclude fans from experiencing the ecstasy of heaven in the future.

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Source- 1000logos.net

History of Paralympics

Before the Paralympics came into play, athletes with disabilities used to participate in the Olympics. It was since 1948 when the first organised event for disabled athletes was arranged. It was tallying with the 1948 Summer Olympic Games.
Dr Ludwig Guttmann was the first to host this event. It was basically organised for the British veterans of World War II. However, veterans patients with spinal cord injuries were to participate in this athletic event. This was the basic reason why the first game was named 1948 International wheelchair games. The purpose was to give a platform to people with disabilities equivalent to the Olympic Games. This might be the reason why it coincided with the Olympic Games.

Source- thebridge.in

In 1952, Dutch and Israeli athletes also participated along with the British, which made the game an international athletic event for disabled people. In 1960, the game took another step forward. Now, it was not limited to war veterans. 400 athletes from 23 countries participated in the 1960 Games, held in Rome. Stoke Mandeville Games is supposed to be the forerunner of the Paralympics.

In the 1976 Summer Games, athletes with different disabilities were allowed to participate. Shooting up the number of athletes to 1600 from 40 countries, reaching a new milestone. In 1988, the game was held directly after the Olympic Games in the same host city, Seoul with the same facilities. From here the game got a new significance in the world. The game itself has come a long way to give identity to its participants.

Governing unit

The Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). IPC is responsible for organising the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. Its headquarter is in Bonn, Germany. In total 176 National Paralympic Committee and four disability-specific international sports federations are incorporated with IPC.

Eligibility

Athletes with a range of disabilities along with impaired muscle power, limb deficiency, vision impairment, intellectual impairment etc are allowed to participate in multi-sport events in the Paralympics. These also include a wide range of categories in which athletes compete. Also, different sports have their eligibility criteria. Athletes with disabilities are allowed to participate in the Olympics. Few athletes like Neroli Farehall and Oscar Pistorius have tried their hands in the Olympics also. However, this creates a bit of controversy considering the benefits enjoyed by few athletes in few sports. Similarly, athletes without disabilities can also participate in the Paralympic Games. Sighted guides, the one who guides a blind or visually challenged athlete, along with its partner athlete forms a team. Because of this, both are eligible to win a medal if the athlete wins.

Conclusion

This year 53 Indian athletes have participated in 9 different sports at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The Sports School congratulate them for their achievements.

The Games developed itself in several terms. Gave an equal opportunity to those athletes who are slightly different from the Olympic athletes. Paralympians have been keeping their nose to the grindstone and proving nothing is beyond reach if you decide. And this is what we think, we all should adopt and take a dive into the world of struggle.
If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where sports and academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honour to assist you. That was all here about Paralympics- Everything you need to know, everything that you need to know. We will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

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India’s Paralympics contingent of 2020 has set a benchmark for the entire nation and filled every Indian with joy. It has been for the first time in history that the medal count has touched two digits. The happiness does not end here, the medals won at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics are more than all the medals won to date. Yes, you heard it right. Hello readers, the excitement of Indians is not fading. Where our Olympians made us proud in the Olympics, our Paralympians are dominating the podium of Paralympics. Let us take a look at our winners, who made India stand at the 54th rank in the medal tally list with a total of 19 medals.

Avani Lekhara

Image Source – The Indian Express

Efforts never die and Avani is proving it by shooting her targets accurately. She has won 2 medals in the Paralympics 2020 and becomes the first woman to do so. She is also the first woman to win gold in the Paralympics. Avani bagged a gold medal in 10m air rifle standing and a bronze medal in 50m air rifle standing. In a 10m air rifle, she scored 249.6, tying the world record and setting a new Paralympic record.

Avani is a rifle shooter and represents India in the Paralympics. She was born on 8th November 2001. In a car accident in 2012, she lost control over her lower extremities. Her father stood like a strong wall with her, encouraging her for sports where she found her passion. Life should always find a new beginning and Avani is confirming it. The Sports School wishes her all the best future.

Sumit Antil

Image Source – The Indian Express

Sumit Antil won a gold medal in the men’s F64 category at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. He holds a world record with 68.55m which was his throw in the final.

Sumit belongs to Khewra, Sonipat Haryana. He was born on 6th July 1998. Sumit lost his left leg below the knee in a motorbike accident he met in 2015. In 2019, Antil won a silver medal at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix held in Italy and World Para Athletics Championships held in Dubai. Sumit has gone through a tough time and still proved his dominance in the field. The Sports School salutes him for his dedication.

Manish Narwal

Image Source – The SportsGrail

Manish Narwal finished first on the podium in the P4 mixed 50m Pistol SH1 event in his first appearance. He bagged gold and Singhraj silver in the same event. He set a new world record with 218.2 points.

Manish was born on 17th October 2001. He belongs to Faridabad, Haryana. He always had an interest in playing football, due to his congenital ailment in his right hand he switched to shooting on suggestions. Before this, Narwal broke the world record at the 2021 Para Shooting World Cup in the P4 mixed pistol SH1 event. For his excellent performance, he has been honored with the Arjuna Award. Manish has a great success ahead and he is reflecting it in his attitude. The Sports School wishes him all the best for his future.

Pramod Bhagat

Image Source – KreedOn

The 12th day of the Paralympics turned out to be great for India, as Manish Narwal and Pramod Bhagat won gold, with other athletes winning medals in other events. Pramod Bhagat bagged a gold medal in the para-badminton men’s singles SL3 category.

Pramod Bhagat belongs to Odisha, born on 4th June 1988. At the age of 5, he developed a defect in his left leg. Bhagat has a long list of medals. In total, he has won 8 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals at the international level. This is his first medal at the Paralympics. He is presently ranked No 1 in his category. The Sports School salutes him for his achievements.

Krishna Nagar

Image Source – India TV News

Krishna Nagar gave another delighted moment for Indians. He clinched a gold medal in men’s singles SH6 class badminton at Summer Paralympics 2020.

Krishna Nagar was born on 12th January 1999. He belongs to Rajasthan. He is ranked world No. 2. Krishna has proved his abilities in other tournaments also. This 22-year-old star has won a silver and a bronze medal in the men’s double and single SS6 category, respectively, at the 2019 World Championships. He also won a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Para Games in the SS6 event. He has a very bright future for which The Sports School wishes him all the best.

Bhavinaben Patel

Image Source – India Ahead

With a big smile on a small board, Bhavinaben Patel won a silver medal in the women’s singles table tennis class 4. She was the first to finish on the podium at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.

Bhavina belongs to Mehsana, Gujrat. Earlier, she won a silver medal in The individual category at the PTT Thailand Table Tennis Championship, in 2011 and was ranked world No. 2. At the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships, she again won a silver medal in 2013 and a bronze medal in 2017. She suffered from polio when she was an infant and competes in a wheelchair. The Sports School wishes her all the best for her future goals.

Nishad Kumar

Image Source – DNA India

Nishad Kumar won a silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 and set a new Asian record of 2.06m. He shares the silver medal with Dallas Wise of the USA.

Nishad comes from Una, Himachal Pradesh. In an accident, Nishad lost his right hand when he was just eight years old. In the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships, he won a bronze medal in the men’s T47 category. In the T46 Category, Nishad has won a gold medal in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in 2021. The Sports School hopes to see him bagging more medals.

Yogesh Kathuniya

Image Source – Sportslumo

Yogesh Kathuniya won a silver medal in the men’s discus throw F56 event.

Yogesh was born on 3rd March 1997. Born to Meena Devi and Gyanchand Kathuniya who is an Indian army soldier. At the age of 9, he suffered from a neurological disorder, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and also was forced to take help of a wheelchair. But her mother learned physiotherapy and made her child regain strength and Yogesh was able to walk again. Along with sports, Yogesh carries his education like a pro, and you too can do it through The Sports School, where professional sporting career and education go hand in hand.

Devendra Jhajharia

Image Source – Hindustan Times

Devendra won a silver medal in the F46 category at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 with a throw of 64.35m.

Jhajharia needs no introduction. He is the most decorated Paralympian of India. He has won two gold medals in the 2004 and 2016 Paralympics. This is his third medal at the Paralympics. He was born in Churu district in Rajasthan. His left hand was amputated because he touched a live electric wire at the age of eight. Devendra has won a gold and a silver medal in the 2013 and 2015 IPC World Championships. He also won a silver medal in the 2014 Asian Para Games. Devendra has brought many glories for India for which The Sports School salutes him.

Mariyappan Thangavelu

Image Source – Inside Sport

The defending champion of the men’s high jump T-42 category won a silver medal in the Summer Paralympics 2020.

Mariyappan belongs to Salem district, Tamil Nadu. At the age of five, he lost his right leg when a car crushed his leg below the knee. Mariyappan has also faced a financial crisis, still standing above all odds he has marked his signature on the world. He has won Padma Shri Award, Arjuna Award, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. In 2016, he won a gold medal at the Rio Paralympics. The Sports School wishes him all the best for his future.

Singhraj Adhana

Image Source – menafn

Singhraj Adhana has won a silver medal in the mixed 50m pistol SH1 and a bronze medal in the men’s P1 10m air pistol SH1 at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.

Singhraj was born on 26th January 1982 in Faridabad, Haryana. He is infested with polio. The most interesting fact is that he started playing just a few years back. He has won several medals for India in mixed and individual at the international level. The Sports School Salutes him for his approach towards his life and overcoming willpower.

Praveen Kumar

Image Source – The Indian Express

Praveen Kumar won a silver medal in Men’s high jump T64 category at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. He sets a new Asian record of 2.07m

He was born on 15th May 2003 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This is Praveen’s first appearance at the Paralympic Games and the youngest to win a medal in the 2020 Paralympics contingent of India. He suffers from an impairment in his leg. Before this in 2019, Praveen Kumar has won a silver medal in the junior para world championships.

Suhas Yathiraj

Image Source – India TV News

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj has won a silver medal in the para-badminton men’s singles SL4 event.

Suhas belongs to Uttar Pradesh, India. He ranks world No 2 in his category. He is an IAS officer, district magistrate of Noida. He is the first serving Indian bureaucrat to represent and win a gold medal at the global level. Suhas has a long list of medals. He has won 5 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 8 bronze medals at the international level. It is great to see his achievements at the professional level, he has cracked one of the toughest exams of India and now represents India in sports at the international level. The Sports School wishes him all the best for his future.

Sundar Singh Gurjar

Image Source – The Bridge

What can be greater than watching two Indians finishing on the podium together? Sundar Singh Gurjar won a bronze medal in the F46 category Javelin throw with Devendra Jhajharia winning a silver medal.

Sundar belongs to Karauli, Rajasthan. He competes in F46 javelin throw, shot put, and discus throw. In the 16th Para Athletics Championship, Sundar set a new world record. Not only this, he has won three gold medals in three events at the FAZZA IPC Athletics Grand Prix, in 2017. He won a silver and a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Para Games in the javelin and discus throw. His left wrist has been amputated but he never falls short of dedication.

Sharad Kumar

Image Source – OPIndia

Sharad Kumar won a bronze medal in the men’s high jump T42 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. 

Sharad was born on 1st March 1992 in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. He suffered from paralysis in his left leg after being administered spurious polio medicine at the age of two. He started playing when he was in class 7. He broke school and district records while competing with able-bodied students. Sharad has won gold medals in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Para Games. He won a silver medal in the 2017 IPC World Championships. In 2014, he broke the world record and was ranked no.1. Sharad has come a long way and is still energized for new opportunities. The Sports School wishes him lots of success.

Harwinder Singh

Image Source – Twitter

Harvinder Singh finished on the podium at the third position and won a bronze in the Summer Paralympic Games 2020 in the men’s singles recurve archery.

It’s a great achievement and time to celebrate for India, as it is the first Olympics medal in archery. Harwinder Singh belongs to Punjab and has won medals for India in earlier tournaments at the national and international levels. He has been awarded Arjuna and Padma Shri Award for his remarkable achievements in archery.

Manoj Sarkar

Image Source – Inside Sports

Manoj Sarkar won a bronze medal in a para-badminton men’s singles SL3 event. It is for the third time in the Paralympics 2020, that two Indians have won medals together. 

Manoj was administered the wrong medicines, at the age of one due to which he suffers from PPRP lower limb condition. He is presently ranked world No 2 in his category. Sarkar has a long list of medals. He has won 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 7 bronze medals at the international level. This is his first bronze medal in the Paralympics.

Conclusion

Great success comes from great efforts. Life makes us encounter several problems and difficulties, the one, ready to take challenges, wins the race. Just remember, life is like a boxing match, you are not defeated when you fall, but when you give up to rise. Their vision of life is positively affirmative. These Paralympians are setting records through their willpower. We saw how records were broken by our athletes and how two athletes stood together on the podium in a single event and that also three times at the Summer Paralympics 2020. The Sports School salutes them for their success, dedication, passion, and achievements.

That was all about our Paralympics stars. If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where sports and academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honour to assist you. We will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

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Image Source – The Print

India occupied 48th rank at Tokyo Olympics 2020. This is the best ranking for India in the last four decades. Hello readers, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has ended but we are still unable to get over it. And why should we? After all, we have finished it fabulously despite a long war with Covid-19. Let us see, India’s Olympic glory who made us shine finishing on the podium at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 

Neeraj Chopra- The golden Boy

Image Source – The Indian Express

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced 7th August as National Javelin Throw Day to honor Neeraj Chopra who won a Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

But before going for the gold medal Neeraj Chopra was fighting tooth and nail to achieve this glory. He was born in a Haryanvi family to Satish Kumar and Saroj Devi. Chopra was an obese child. He started training himself and ended up finding his talent in the javelin throw. After extreme efforts, he won Junior Nationals at Lucknow in 2012 setting a new record of 68.40m. At the Youth Olympics Qualification, held in Bangkok, Neeraj won his first International medal in 2014. He won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games. He is presently recruited in the army at JCO rank.

In the summer Olympics Tokyo 2020, Neeraj successfully finished on the podium with a throw of 87.58m. He is very enthusiastic about his future and committed to his goals. The Sports School wishes him all the best for his targets.

Mirabai Channu- Tough to break

Image Source – The Indian Express

Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in weightlifting in the women’s 49 Kg weight category, with a total lift of 202 Kg. She sets an example for how hard work pays.

She was born in a Meitei family in Nongpok Kakching which is 30 Km away from Imphal, Manipur. She used to carry firewoods in childhood when her family got to know about her strength. Her family’s financial condition was not good and they took great pain to train her. She used to take lifts from truck drivers to travel to Imphal and showed a beautiful gesture by honoring them after winning a silver medal at Tokyo Olympics.

Channu was able to win medals at the World Championships and commonwealth games. She is awarded Padma Shri and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratan by GOI. In the 2014 and 2018 commonwealth games, Channu won silver and gold medals, respectively in the 48 Kg weight category.

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, where Mirabai Channu was unable to finish, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Mirabai won a silver medal on the second day. The Sports school salutes her and wishes her all the best for her future goals.

Ravi Kumar Dahiya- Dominating the ring

Image Source – The Indian Express

You get glory after extreme sacrifice and hard work. Ravi Kumar has been keeping his nose to the grindstone. And we can trace this easily through his progress journey.

Ravi Kumar was born in Nahri, Sonipat district of Haryana in 1997. He began his training at the age of 10 in North Delhi. He won a silver medal in the 2015 Junior World Wrestling Championship in the 55 Kg freestyle category. After recovering from an injury, Dahiya bagged a silver at the 2018 World U23 Wrestling Championship in the 57 Kg category. He has a bronze medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. He won gold medals at the 2020 and 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships.

In the Tokyo Olympics, Ravi Kumar won two bouts with technical superiority. He won a silver medal after losing the gold medal bout. He has come a long way and still has miles to go for which The Sports School wishes him all the best.

P.V Sindhu- The girl with wings

Image Source – The Bridge

Winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. PV Sindhu added another feather to her cap. She is the first female and second individual athlete to win two consecutive medals at the Olympics.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu was born and raised in Hyderabad to P.V Ramana and P Vijaya who played volleyball. Getting inspired by Pullela Gopichand, who is the chief mentor of The Sports School, she started playing badminton at the age of 8. She used to travel 56 km every day to get badminton coaching. She has won 21 medals in total, at the national and international levels. She is awarded Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratan, Padma Shri, and Padam Bhushan by GOI.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won a silver medal. Training hard, Sindhu continues to make headway to become a gold medalist and The Sports School supports her potential.

Bajrang Puniya- Extremely powerful

Image Source – India Today

Bajrang Puniya dominated the bronze medal match in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and finished on the podium at the third position in the 65 kg weight category, keeping up the hopes of Indians.

Bajrang Punia belongs to the Jhajjar district of Haryana, who began his wrestling at the young age of seven. His family was supportive but struggled to manage funds for his training. Puniya has a long list of medal counts in nationals and internationals, proving his dominance in maximum bouts in his weight category. He is the only Indian wrestler to win three medals at the World Wrestling Championships.

He is honored with Arjuna Award, Padma Shri Award, Major Dhyan Chand Award, and FICCI India Sports Award. Facilitations! from The Sports School to this rising star of India in freestyle wrestling.

Lovlina Borgohain- Massive Entry

Image Source – DNA India

Emerging as an eager beaver, Lovlina Borgohain bagged a bronze medal in her Olympic Games debut. 

Finishing on the podium at the first attempt, Lovlina Borgohain shined in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after winning a bronze medal in the women’s welterweight event. However, this was not the first time when she named a medal for herself. She won a bronze medal at the 2018 and 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship. Lovlina was awarded the Arjuna Award by GOI. She is the third boxer to win a medal at the Olympic Games in India.

Lovlina has entered the ring with supreme power and we can feel this from her achievements. The Sports School wishes her for her future endeavors.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team- Reclaiming the past

Image Source – Free Press Journal

Eyes were filled with tears of happiness and pride when the men’s hockey team stood on the podium of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after 41 years. They must have burnt the candles at both ends to land there.

The team has proved its dominance in the Asian Games and is recognized as the most successful team in Asia. Even in the Olympic Games, the men’s hockey team proved their efficiency till 1972 followed by a long gap of 41 years. The Indian men’s hockey team was undefeatable till 1960 and won six gold medals in a row, in total, the team won eight gold medals at the Olympic Games.

The boys have worked very hard and marked their victory despite all problems and lack of support. The Sports School salutes the team to reclaim the past and bring that era back to India. 

These shining stars of India made the country proud at the Summer Olympic Games. It must have taken the winner’s blood, sweat, and tears to finish on the podium. Going through all goods and bad they marked their victory.

If you want to become the next sports icon, join The Sports School where Sports and Academics go hand in hand. For more queries contact us. It will be an honor to assist you. That was all here, we will be back with another interesting topic. Till then, keep smiling.

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There is something so captivating about all kinds of sports that keep its beholders glued to their seats. Technology in sports plays a pivotal role in advancing all domains in sports. Ever-evolving sports engineering has been helping all kinds of sports to overcome the limitations of human performance. Given the pace and results of technological development, more and more sportspersons are compelled to gain a competitive advantage in their respective sports. Here is how information technology in sports has impacted various aspects related to sports:-

• Sports Performance Analysis

With the help of cutting-edge cameras, coaches can now pinpoint even the minutest mistakes. It has also ended up dramatically improving the quality of feedback meant to be conveyed to the sportspersons.

• Time Measurement Accuracy

Earlier judges faced extremely perplexing times when it came to delivering the final judgment in sports. Consequently, we witnessed an array of emotions resulting from a flawed judgment, right from heated discussions to public outbursts, from sportspersons’ aggressive faces to verbal spats, and whatnot. However, in the wake of growing technological advancements, it has become much easier to minimize varied conflicts with increased accuracy in measurements. Especially in precision sports, judgment accuracy is considered crucial for the success of sports.

• Data collection

With the help of advanced technological devices like software-driven spreadsheets, it has become easier to collect data and ensuring accuracy. Earlier, the data collection would be manual, resulting in a tiring process full of errors. Data collection regarding conditioning, competition, strength, recovery, and beyond is now much reliable and accurate after integrating information technology in sports. Without accurate measurement, it is not possible to improve the area of performance. The reliability of measurement has been enhanced to a great extent in the context of repeatability and consistency. With the advent of state-of-the-art technological devices encompassing accelerometers and GPS, measurement errors in data collection have become negligible.

• Result-driven communication

Establishing lucid and result-driven communication between sportsperson and coach is of utmost importance for improving the quality of performance. This is where the role of technologically advanced tools comes into the picture.

• Instant Replay Booths

Judges, sportspersons, and the public can perfectly differentiate the winner from losers, especially in games where a ball is used like Tennis, Badminton, Rugby, Volleyball, Cricket, Football, Soccer, and more. All credit goes to the “Hawk-Eye technology”, which is competent in visually capturing the ball’s path. This technology leverages the principle of triangulation by extracting the timing data and visual images from high-speed video cameras. These cameras are placed at such locations that the ball’s path is visible from any angle. The number of ideal cameras to be placed depending on the ball size, game rules, and the playing area.

• Sportswear

Sportswear is yet another aspect that has been impacted positively by technology in sports. Undisputedly, the innovation of an array of synthetic fabrics has been one of the most significant technological boons experienced by sportspersons. With the help of more breathable, adaptable, lighter, and humidity-resistant garments, it has become possible for sportspersons to optimize their performance quality. Even sports equipment for all kinds of sports has improved a lot.

• Injury treatments

There was a time when injuries jeopardized the career of the sportspersons. With the help of the integration of AI in sports, sportspersons no longer need to shun their dreams. Earlier sports persons were dependent on grafting for recovery. In the wake of evolving advanced biotechnology and nanotechnology, ligament alone suffices to regenerate ligament, thereby accelerating the recovery process. How can we overlook the role of AI in sports that have brought hope for disabled people? Innovative technological and robotics equipment have empowered sportspersons to such an extent that they can now compete in sports at all elite levels.

The bottom line

The charisma of sport lies in its capability to transcend the barriers of any kind of discrimination and geographical barriers to celebrate human potential. Technology holds an extraordinary place in sport, but if it takes away the sheer hard work and candid human skill, there emerges a concern. Innovation related to technology in sports has certainly made sports accurate and safer, but the challenge lies in making sure that the deployment-related to technology does not end up overshadowing the core skills of the sportsperson. And that’s precisely why it has become essential to regulate AI in Sports to preserve its spirit.

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Image Source – Cema4

Olympics are the world’s leading international sporting events, including summer and winter sports competitions. Thousands of athletes from various nations worldwide participate in a variety of sports organized at this athletic festival. They aim to win the highest sporting recognition in their career, i.e., an Olympic goal medal under their national anthem’s sound.

Olympic Games attract interest from billions of spectators who want to watch the best athletes all over the world competing against each other at the highest level of the sport.

The inspiration behind the creation of the Olympics came from the ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was formed in 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin with the purpose of organizing the modern Olympics. The IOC organized the first-ever Summer Olympics at Athens, Greece, in 1896. Meanwhile, the first Winter Olympics were held at Chamonix, France, in 1924. And the first Paralympics were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960. Olympics are a two-week-long event alternating between Winter and Summer Olympics usually organized every four years.

The pride and prestige associated with the Olympics are unparalleled for hosting countries. The benefits of the Olympics for hosting countries include achieving a boom in their economy through tourism and trade, especially when the games are taking place. World recognition for the hosting country comes through media coverage, leading to more capital investments covering the infrastructure and organizing costs. They can use the Olympics as a platform to improve their public relations with countries that weren’t the friendliest in the past for a variety of reasons. Sporting success for the hosting country revolves around its athletes getting more opportunities to play in different sports while improving their performances and overall standing on the Olympic medal table. The effect of the Olympics is quite unpredictable and often continuous for the hosting country both economically and sportingly.

How does an Olympic hosting country benefit?

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Hosting the Olympic Games is a unique opportunity for a country to bring athletes from all over the world into one place to play sports together. It allows them to spread the message of unity and harmony without any race and gender inequity. The Olympic movement aims to contribute by educating youth to build a better and peaceful better world through sport practiced without discrimination. Mutual understanding with a spirit of fair play, solidarity, and friendship defines the Olympic spirit. The hosting country of the Olympics creates a legacy that lives long after the games are over.

Track records for many Olympics hosting countries have been supremely indifferent economically, with some achieving great success and others searching for answers. According to many economists, the economic benefits of the Olympics for the hosting country often involve covering high costs while yielding few tangible rewards in the long run. Even the involvement in the bidding process for securing Olympic Games hosting rights does appear to increase the exports and trade openness for a country in that particular period. Hosting the Olympics has a positive effect on the philanthropic contributions of corporations headquartered in the country, which benefits the local nonprofit sector and civil society substantially during and after the games. Olympics at London, Barcelona, and Beijing has been considered the most successful on the economic side of things.

In terms of sporting success, there is a consensus that the hosting countries that aren’t the top performers at the Olympics benefit more by organizing this athletic festival. It’s because the hosting country can participate in the games with more athletes due to automatic qualification rules. These athletes from the hosting country are very familiar with the venues, environment, and climate conditions as they have lived, trained and competed for most of their lives. They are not required to travel abroad to compete at the Olympic Games, so jet lag and other difficulties associated with athletes of other countries aren’t something for them to tackle at any stage. A hosting country invests lots of money in their sporting programs and facilities, so their athletes get the opportunity to improve their performances and achieve success. The crowd factor plays a massive part in boosting the confidence of the athletes of a hosting country. That higher support from the fans galvanizes the athletes to do something memorable that will be remembered forever.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of the Olympics for hosting a country in terms of economic windfalls, international exposure, public relations, and sporting success. The success or lack thereof for a hosting country of Olympic Games often comes down to its legacy as per the academic research. The legacy includes the long-term political, economic, social, cultural, infrastructural, and environmental effects of the Olympics on the hosting country, whether planned and unplanned, positive and negative. 

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There are important characteristics that are common amongst great athletes and several prominent business leaders. These characteristics aren’t specific to any sport but are character traits that help in almost any environment. We’ve listed certain distinguishing personality traits that seem to set apart the most successful high-performing athletes: 

Developing holistically as a person, not just as an athlete 

An athlete can be at the peak of their game, but if they do not evolve holistically as a person, it can still be extremely hard to execute to the best of their potential. In order to understand the parallels between personality development and athletic performance, they evaluate each skill that they master and implement its effect on different parts of your life.  

Having a strong sense of motivation

High-performing athletes usually have a high sense of self-motivation. Though their teammates, coaches, friends, and family will provide plenty of support along the way, they ultimately turn out to be their own primary motivators. This is important to embrace a healthy, positive frame of mind as it provides them with a new perspective in all areas of their life.

Holding themselves accountable

No athlete makes it to the top on their own. Top-tier athletes understand the importance of being accountable, taking criticism at every opportunity, and learning from it. They are aware that they have to be willing to make mistakes in order to grow and ultimately succeed. Holding themselves accountable for any win or loss creates a sense of responsibility, which leads to the overall development as a human. 

Practicing Humility

Top-tier athletes also believe in practicing humility because a humble athlete neither underestimates nor overestimates his abilities. There is always room for improvement, and that improvement will come only with more training and being consistent. 

Trusting and committing to Teamwork 

Have you ever seen any sport where Teamwork isn’t at the top of the mind of players? High-performing athletes exhibit a high level of appreciation for Teamwork because they understand that a team may have better individual players, but could still fall short in the pursuit of a championship because the team members are only playing for themselves and not for the common good. In a strong team environment, players want to win for each other, and they can celebrate as a team. Ultimately, this way of thinking has an extremely positive impact on their lives. 

Appreciating the journey

This mindset elevates the people around athletes as well. If an athlete doesn’t appreciate the journey he or she may have had, it is bound to turn the other way around. A lot of athletes keep on dwelling on the past, therefore letting the events that have already happened hinder their current mindset. Hence it is essential always to remember how far you have come and how much is left to discover. 

Athletes cannot find themselves amongst the best unless they possess a strong sense of commitment. This commitment allows the top athlete to remain in the moment, regardless of who is in the stands or what occurred that morning. It also means staying focused on achieving each goal as it comes, without ever forgetting the big picture.

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