National Games 2022: Six Indian Athletes to watch out for

Take a look at the six athletes to watch out for at the National Games 2022.

Manu Bhaker (Image: Twitter)
By Abhiruchi Rout | Sep 17, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

The National Games 2022 is all set to make a comeback after a gap of seven years. Gujarat will be hosting the 36th edition of the prestigious event. The games will witness a total of 37 sports and participation of athletes from 28 states and 8 union territories. Mallakhamb, Yogasana, Skateboarding, Soft Tennis, and Golf are the latest additions to the multi-sport event. With a few days left for the much-awaited event, let’s take a look at a few of the Indian Athletes who are medal prospects for their states in the upcoming National Games 2022.

Sajan Prakash

Two-time Olympian Sajan Prakash is one of the athletes who will be in the spotlight during the National Games 2022. The seasoned campaigner had an exceptional outing in the 2015 edition where he claimed six gold and three silver medals to assert his dominance. In 2021, Sajan became the first Indian swimmer to breach the automatic mark and qualify for the Olympics. He will be eyeing to produce an even greater performance in this iteration of the games.

Manu Bhaker

Ace pistol shooter Manu Bhaker will be keen to make a lasting impression at the 36th edition of the National Games. The 20-year-old has earned numerous medals in World Cups and World Championships. She also represented India at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Since Manu is also picked for the World Rifle/Pistol Championships squad to be held in October, winning one or two medals in the multi-sport event can significantly bolster her confidence. Manu is one of the brightest stars in Indian Sports and someone to watch out for.

Srihari Nataraj

Post his performance at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022, Srihari Nataraj is regarded as the future of Indian Swimming. In Birmingham, the Bengaluru-based swimmer swam his way to the finals of the 50m and 100m Backstroke but narrowly missed out on being on the podium. Although he couldn’t win medals for India in the mega-event, he earned a lot of applause from Indian sports experts and fans. Considering the fact that his personal best in 100m Backstroke would have fetched him gold at the CWG 2022, he will be raring to go at the National Games 2022.

Joshna Chinappa

Squash star Joshna Chinappa will be among the star-studded athletes who will be participating in the upcoming National Games. The former World no.10 Joshna is a four-time Asian and two-time Commonwealth Games medalist. The Arjuna Awardee currently holds the record for most national championships, having won the title 18 times. She would be eager to continue her supremacy at the national level and add another achievement under her possession.

Siva Sridhar

Siva Sridhar hogged the limelight during the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2021 by winning a record seven gold medals. Siva alongside Olympian Srihari Nataraj led Jain University to bag the overall championship. Srihari couldn’t make it to the trials held for the University games in a few of the events due to international tours. However, young Siva made every opportunity count, thus leading the team from the front. In the recently held National Senior Aquatics championships, Siva bagged the best male swimmer award with three gold medals and a new meet record.

Shiva Narwal

Pistol shooter Shiva Narwal has been in rock solid form for India on the international circuit. The shooter from Haryana overshadowed Olympian Saurabh Chaudhary in the national selection trials who finished seventh in the 10m air pistol event at Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 16-year-old earned a berth in the World Championships squad to be conducted next month, owing to his consistency in the national trials. He also teamed up with Manu Bhaker to clinch the gold medal at the 20th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial competition held in June, this year. The young prodigy would also want to make a statement through his performance at the National Games 2022.