Sunday, 23 Mar, 2025
By: Deepak Maggu
At the same time, it had won 64 medals and 15 gold medals in Glasgow 2014, and 66 medals and 26 gold medals in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Based on these figures, the 2022 Commonwealth figures may not appear attractive.
CWG 2022 has been successfully concluded with India's best performance. India has won a total of 61 medals in the CWG this time, with 22 gold, 16 silver, and 23 bronze.
To tell from the figures of the overall medal tally, this performance appears unsatisfactory compared to 2010, 2014, and 2018, as India had its best ever performance in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games with 101 medals, which included 38 gold. At the same time, it had won 64 medals and 15 gold medals in Glasgow 2014, and 66 medals and 26 gold medals in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Based on these figures, the 2022 Commonwealth figures may not appear attractive.
But the reality is different as shooting, archery, Greco-Roman wrestling, and tennis had been included in the 2010 commonwealth games, and shooting had been included in the 2014, and 2018 Commonwealth Games, on the other hand these games were not included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This time, 61 medals, including 22 gold, were won without shooting, archery, Greco-Roman wrestling, or tennis, despite India's dominance in these sports.
India's dominance in shooting has always been maintained. India comes second with 135 medals only to Australia in the all-time medal tally in shooting. India was the first in shooting in the Commonwealth Games from 2002 to 2018 (except 2014).
Source: Commonwealth Sport (CGF)
In the 2010 Commonwealth Games, out of 101 medals, India won 30 medals in shooting, 8 in archery, 7 in Greco-Roman wrestling, and 4 in tennis. All these games were not included in this year's 2022 Commonwealth. If we remove medals of these Games from the 2010 Commonwealth Games medal tally, then the total number of medals for the 2010 Commonwealth Games becomes 52, which will include 17 gold medals which will be a total of 9 medals and 5 gold less than the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Similarly, deducting 16 medals in shooting from the medal tally of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the number of medals would be reduced to just 50, with 19 gold, which is much less than this time's Commonwealth Games.
Source: Commonwealth Sport (CGF)
It is clear from the figures that India's performance in the 2022 Commonwealth Games is by far the best in history. If sports like shooting and archery were included, then India's medal tally could have been much better than before.
Although India initially discussed boycotting the 2022 Commonwealth Games due to discrimination, the controversy eventually ended with the discussion of alternate shooting and archery matches in India. But now there is speculation about not including shooting, tennis, and archery in the 2026 Commonwealth Games. It remains to be seen what India's stand will be.
