This is the first time in the Olympics that equal gender participation has been boasted. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics has become the first gender-equal Olympics. In the bid to push gender-equal participation the International Olympic Committee added 18 new events to the Tokyo Olympic Games. There is an equal number of sports for men and women because of this initiative by the IOC. According to the International Olympic Committee, women’s participation in Tokyo has increased by 49% compared to Rio Olympics’ 45%.
When women made their debut at the Paris 1990 Olympics there were a mere 22 females out of the 997 total athletes participating. The Olympics have come a long way from then for women. Some countries have even sent a larger contingent of women than men to the Tokyo Olympics.
The rise in Indian female athlete participation
India has sent 56 female athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This is the highest contingent of female athletes representing India at the Olympics. 54 female athletes were representing India at the 2016 Rio Olympics which was the highest until the Tokyo Olympics. India started with 0 female athletes at the 1976 Olympic Games. We have come a long way since then.
Performance of Indian athletes at the Olympics: Male vs. Female
With time, male athletes have dominated the medals tally for the country. This is because there has always been a higher percentage of male athletes representing India at the Olympics compared to female athletes. This has definitely changed dramatically as post-2012 Olympics only women have brought glory to the country. There have only been female athletes who have won us medals after the 2012 London Olympics. There are 6 women in total who have won medals for India at the Olympic Games so far. They are Karnam Malleshwari, Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Sakshi Malik, and Mirabai Chanu. Karnam Malleshwari was the first woman to win an Olympic medal for India. This happened at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she won a bronze in weightlifting.
Indian Female athletes in contention of a medal
In the current Tokyo Olympics, Mirabai Chanu has already made us proud with a glorious silver medal. The other female athlete in the prospect of an Olympic medal is India’s star girl PV Sindhu. She has already entered the Quarterfinals and is one step closer to a crucial medal for the country.
Manu Bhaker has finished on an impressive 5th spot in the 25m pistol precision after a poor run of form in the earlier events. Other prospects include Deepika Kumari in Archery, Lovlina Borgohain in women’s boxing. Lovlina will be facing Chen from China in her quarter-final bout. SK Baatth has entered the round of 16 and will be facing Seesondee of Thailand.
We hope for the best as these women go for glory.
