Celebrate International Olympic Day With These Tokyo Bound Odia Athletes

Celebrate International Olympic Day With These Tokyo Bound Odia Athletes

The Olympics is the biggest sporting event in the world. To celebrate the spirit of the Olympics, the world observes the International Olympics Day on 23rd June. Initially it was observed to create awareness and promote the idea of Olympics and to celebrate the creation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which was on June 23, 1894 in Sorbonne, Paris.

Exactly one month from today, on 23rd July, the 32nd Summer Olympics will kick off in Tokyo. The sporting extravaganza will see thousands of athletes from over 200 nations compete for glory in 33 sports. It is a matter of immense pride for every athlete to represent their country on the biggest stage in the world of sports.

So far 5 athletes from Odisha have been selected across various sports to represent India at the Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. The Paralympics will be held from 24th August to 5th September later this year. Recently, running sensation Dutee Chand missed out on a chance to qualify for the Olympics by a whisker. However, Odias might still have one more chance to cheer for Dutee if she breaches the qualifying mark of 11.15 secs at the 60th National Inter-State Athletics Championship.

If this does not work then she might as well qualify through her world ranking which is currently 42. There will be 56 participants in the women’s 100m race at the Olympics. Her ranking has almost confirmed her participation but we will have to wait till June 29 when the final qualifiers will be announced.

My City Links takes a look at the remarkable athletes from Odisha who are among the rare few who will get the chance to represent the tricolour in front of the world.

Deep Grace Ekka

With 202 caps for India, Deep Grace Ekka is one of the most dependable defenders of the Indian National Women’s Hockey Team. While the 27 year old from Lulkidhi village of Sundargarh has saved many goals, she has also scored 13 goals for India. Deep made her international debut in 2011 and since then she has been unstoppable. Deep won a bronze medal at the U-18 Girls’ Asia Cup Hockey Championship in 2011, played a crucial role in the bronze win at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2013, won bronze at the 17th Asian Games, won gold at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in 2017 and a silver in 2018 Asian Games. On Monday, Hockey India announced that Deep will wear the Vice Captain’s hat for the upcoming Olympics. We are excited to see her on the turf.

Birendra Lakra

Birendra Lakra has been the unbreachable wall of the Indian men’s national hockey team on numerous occasions and has proven his mettle on the turf time and again. Hockey India announced on Tuesday that Lakra has been selected to be the Vice Captain of the team that is headed for the Olympics.

The 31 year old from Sundargarh belongs to a hockey family in which his elder brother Bimal Lakra played as a midfielder for India and his sister Asunta Lakra played for and captained the National Women’s Hockey team. Lakra has 197 caps to his credit that includes 10 goals.

Lakra scored the first goal and was instrumental in India’s victory in the final game of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament against France in 2012. He played a key role in taking India into the semi-finals of 2012 Hockey Champions Trophy. He has won a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games, silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal in the World League Final of 2015.

Amit Rohidas

Amit has made his presence felt in the Indian Men’s National Hockey Team since he made his debut in 2013 where he won a silver at the Asia Cup. The unmovable defender has earned 97 caps and 15 goals to his credit. He is inspired by Dilip Tirkey because he hails from the same village in Sundargarh which is Saunamara. He won a gold at the Asia Cup in 2017 and a silver at the Champions Trophy in 2018. Rohidas is known for his drag flicking skills which will come handy at the Olympics.

Pramod Bhagat

Odisha’s Pramod Bhagat is one of the finest para-shuttlers in the world. He has made India and Odisha proud numerous times with his achievements on the court. He has been ranked world no 1 para-badminton player in the SL3 category and eyes another gold to add to his kitty in the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics to be held in August. He was awarded the Arjuna Award and the Biju Patnaik Award in 2019 for his exceptional performance in para-badminton. He has won 45 medals so far which includes an impressive 23 golds, 9 silvers and 13 bronze medals. 

Jayanti Behera

Jayanti is one of the fastest rising stars in the world of para-athletes. She has been creating waves ever since she decided to be an athlete when she was in class 7. She is a track and field paralympic athlete who has represented India in 200m, 400m and 800m events. She is a world youth champion in the TR 400m event. This August all Odias will be hoping that she wins a medal for the State and the country at the Tokyo Paralympics.

My City Links wishes all the best to these extraordinary athletes in the upcoming Olympics to be held in Tokyo.