SPORTS

The new gold class
Jaideep Ghosh

Indian athletes and sportsmen signalled their arrival and how!

Poster girls and guys

Star shuttler Saina Nehwal added many feathers to her cap this season, most notable among them her CWG win on home turf. Photo: UNI

Shooter Gagan Narang was bang on target. Photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

It was Advantage GenNext, with Som Devvarman being the rising star of Indian tennis. Photo: AFP

The year 2010 will surely be one of distinction when it comes to sporting events, which have long carved a rather forlorn furrow on the face of public memory. But with the Commonwealth Games taking up much attention, the people of India have learned to recognise athletes other than cricketers.

Among those who made headlines, the foremost would definitely be Saina Nehwal and to some extent Somdev Devvarman. Saina began with the Indian Open in June and then followed it up with a sensational run in the Indonesian and Singapore Super Series events, which she won in successive weeks. She then returned home to annex the Commonwealth Games gold. Although the Guangzhou Asian Games were a disappointment, Saina bounced back with the Hong Kong Super Series title in December, making it three in one year and four in her career.

Somdev made up for the yawning gap left by the absence of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to claim two gold medals in the Asian Games, one coming with Sanam Singh in doubles. Somdev has been making an impression over the past couple of years and this was really the culmination of sustained effort.

Sushil Kumar, who had got wrestling back to public awareness in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, went on to win the World Championship in Moscow in September, while Viswanathan Anand defended his world title with a win over Veselin Topalov in Sofia, overcoming a 40-hour drive after the Icelandic volcanic eruptions had grounded all flights.

Vijender Singh finally vindicated his potential with gold at Guangzhou while young Vikas Krishan made a name for himself with another. Shooter Ronjan Sodhi kept the Indian flag flying with the lone gold in Guangzhou, but the athletes excelled.

After successes in Delhi, the Asian Games was the real test and Sudha Singh began with gold in the 3000m steeplechase. Preeja Shreedharan added the 10,000m and then Ashwini Akkunji claimed the 4x400 hurdles and guided the 4x400 metre relay team to gold. Joseph Abraham added the only men’s gold in the 4x400m hurdles.

One more gold came in rowing, where Bajrang Lal Takhar won the men’s single scull event. Since he is an Asian champion it was always expected, though it did bring the sport into notice.

Spanish exposition: Spain lifted the FIFA crown for the first time, defeating Netherlands in a nail-biting finish to the grand spectacle hosted by South Africa. Photo: UNI

On the world stage, Spain created a record of sorts by becoming a new team to win the football World Cup in Germany.

Holland’s hopes of finally winning the coveted trophy were again dashed as Andres Iniesta scored in extra-time to deny the Dutch, once again. The Spaniards, who are European champions, have now made a name at the pinnacle of football.

Sebastien Vettel also created history, becoming the youngest-ever Formula One champion.

The 23-year-old German, who drives for the Red Bull team, won five races and had nine podium finishes as he broke Lewis Hamilton’s record as youngest champion.

He had back-to-back wins at Brazil and Abu Dhabi, which capped off the winning season for him.

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