India at Beijing Olympics 2008: The Opening Ceremony

The Olympics kicked of today the 8th of August, 2008 at Beijing with it's Grand Opening Ceremony.

India's small contingent of 98 including 56 athletes and a support-staff of 42 officials led by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore carrying the tri-colour looked a bit shoddy with their mis-matched outfits. The Indian Olympic Squad looked good from far, as the male members decked out in off-white sherwanis. But as they came closer, things looked hardly impressive with the female members of the contingent making it a veritable go-as-you-like with their contrasting outfits that made them look completely misfit for the occasion.
The tennis duo of Sania Mirza and Sunitha Rao, attired in black trousers and practice jackets, looked completely out of sorts and the contrast was even more jarring to the eyes as going side by side was Delhi paddler, Neha Aggarwal who chose a greenish saree for the occasion.

While the crowd roared with excitement to greet them, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, one can only feel that they should have been better organized and more formal in their setting and presentation.

While I have the utmost respect for each and every sports person at Beijing for getting as far as they did, judging from the carefree and laid back attitude at the opening ceremony...it make's me wonder whether we really stand a chance at winning any medals this year or are we just there for the ride. Let's just keep our fingers crossed and pray the players performances in their respective events isn't as boring, unorganized and sloppy as their entrance today.

Photo Gallery of the Indian Contingent at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony

Bindra,Sushil Kumar,Vijendra - U Trio has made all Indians proud in Beijing Olympics 2008

Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal, saying it was a reward for "punching holes in a paper target" all his life.Bindra, a 25-year-old businessman from Chandigarh, followed his world championship title of two years ago by grabbing the men's 10m air rifle shooting gold medal.
Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland the bronze after one of the most thrilling shooting finals in Olympic history. Bindra, who trailed by two points after the qualification round, trumped his rivals in the 10 shot final as he went into the last shot level with Hakkinen on 689.7 points. While Bindra secured his best score of 10.8 in the deciding shot, Hakkinen managed only 9.7 to concede the silver to Zhu, whose last shot was 10.5.

Freestyle wrestler Sushil Kumar scored a stunning win over Kazakhstan's Leonid Spiridonov in the extra 30-second period after the third round of the 66 kg category to clinch a surprise bronze medal, when everyone had lost hope after his first round loss in the morning. It was India's second medal of the Games, its first since 1952 in wrestling. It is also only the second time - the first being 1952 - that India have won more than one medal at the same Olympics.
In the morning, Sushil lost to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine on points. But his slender hopes hung on the results of his conqueror, Stadnik, who went on to reach the final, thereby giving Sushil an extra lease of life as all wrestlers losing to the two finalists then contest the Repechage.Sushil won all his three bouts in the Repechage to clinch a stunning bronze for India.
Indian boxer Vijender Kumar lost against the tough opponent Cuban boxer Emilio Correa Dayeaux in 75 kg boxing semifinal match. However as a loosing semifinalist he won bronze medal and gave India the third medal in the ongoing Beijing Olympics. In the semi final match today Emilio Correa defeated Vijender by 8-5. Vijender gave his best, but Emillio proved to be too much for him.
Its also the time not to forget other Indian boxers Akhil Kumar & Jithender Kumar, who had put in splendid fight before loosing out in quarter final matches.