Athletes from Telangana set target on Commonwealth Games

With the Commonwealth Games slated to begin in Gold Coast in Australia from April 4, India is all set to put up a better show than the previous edition. 221 athletes including 12 from Telangana, are a part of the contingent.

Let us take a look at the 12 athletes from Hyderabad who are bright medal prospects:

PV Sindhu

In 2016 Olympics, PV Sindhu clinched the Silver medal for India and once again bagged a Silver at the 2017 BWF World Championship held at Glasgow.

The country’s best shuttler is currently ranked third in the world and is a favourite to win the singles title.

Kidambi Srikanth

Another strong contender for the singles title, ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth is in good form after winning four super series titles last year and also reached the pre-quarterfinals of the All England last month.

Saina Nehwal

While injuries have hampered the progress of one of India’s top shuttlers, Saina Nehwal is all set to make a strong impact in the Commonwealth Games. After bagging a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games at New Delhi, Saina Nehwal became the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the All England Super Series in the same year. She bagged the bronze medal at the World Badminton Championships in Glasgow in 2017.

Sikki Reddy

Representing India in two events – doubles with experienced Ashwini Ponnappa and mixed doubles with Pranaav Jerry Chopra, Sikki Reddy is eying a medal prospect in both, doubles and the mixed doubles category.

Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy

Considered one of the best talents in the badminton circuit in India, Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy has forged a formidable combination with talented shuttler Chirag Shetty in the men’s doubles.

Ruthvika Shivani

The 21-year-old won in the women’s category at the South Asian Games in Guwahati defeating PV Sindhu in straight sets. While the women’s singles in is completely dominated in India by PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, Ruthvika Shivani can give a major competition.

Ragala Venkata Rahul

The overwhelming favourite weightlifter in the 85kg category, Ragala Venkata Rahul rewrote national records with his record lift in the last year’s Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship bagging three gold medals. The national record-holder has the highest overall lift of 351 kg in his category an encore and one can surely hope for a medal.

Aruna Reddy

Latest gymnastics sensation Budda Aruna Reddy claimed the bronze in the women’s vault event at the 2018 Gymnastics World Cup becoming the first Indian gymnast to do so. While India’s top gymnast Dipa Karmakar’s absence is certainly going to be missed, Aruna Reddy, set to represent the country in the artistic gymnastics will look to win a medal for India at the Gold Coast event.

Meghana Reddy

Another girl from the city, Meghana Reddy, will be leading India in the rhythmic gymnastics. Having started gymnastics at an age of 11, the 19-year-old is seen as a bright medal prospect in 2020 Olympics.

Mohammad Hussamuddin

Having bagged a bronze medal in the bantam weight 56kg category of the India International Open Boxing Championship at New Delhi in February, Mohammad Hussamuddin impressed in 69th Strandja Cup Boxing Championship held at Bulgaria. The young boxer from Nizamabad is set to reach to win a medal at the Gold Coast event.

Gagan Narang

Clinching to fame with the gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle competition at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, Gagan Narang won four gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and another four at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. At the 2010 Asian Games, he clinched a silver medal and bagged a silver and a bronze in the 2014 Glasgow games. The 2012 London Olympic bronze medallist has now set eyes to add more medals to the Indian tally at the Gold Coast event.

Kynan Chenai

Having won two bronze medals in the trap event at the Asian Championships held in Kazakhstan last year, Kynan is all set to represent India at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Hyderabadi boy has already won close to 15 medals the in junior international events.