The World University Games dates its origin back to 1923. While World War II put an end to the sporting activities, the tournament continued after the war ceased. India began participating at the World University Games from 1959 onwards.
However India won its first ever Universiade medal not before 1973 when Sambadi Boroute won bronze in the women’s 48kg wrestling. Wrestling was an optional sport at times in the biennial event.
India won its first gold at the University Games as Harveen Sarao clinched the women’s 10m air pistol event in 2007. She went on to win a bronze in the team event in the same edition, soon after clinching two golds in the same two events in 2011.
Indrajeet Singh was India’s first athletics medal when he bagged silver in the men’s shot put in 2013. He soon turned it to gold in 2015. India recorded the most medals in 2015 with five medals including one gold, one silver and three bronze.
Jyothi Yarraji, Manu Bhaker and Aishwary Pratap Singh along with 230 plus other Indian athletes will take part at the FISU World University Games 2021 in Chengdu, China from July 28 to August 8.
The Indian contingent will be competing in 12 sporting events and hope to increase the number of medals from that of 2015 (five medals- one gold, one silver and three bronze).
This edition of the Games was originally scheduled to take place from August 16 to 27, 2021. Due to Covid-19 and the clash of dates with the Tokyo Olympics, it was postponed to 2022 and further to 2023 due to the pandemic.
The Chengdu 2021 Games has replaced the 2023 Games that was to place in Yekaterinburg, who were stripped of the hosting rights after Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
269 medal events spanning over three days will see 9500 plus athletes and officials. The FISU Games Village will be located on the Chengdu University campus.
The events will take place over 47 venues, including one each venue for the opening and closing ceremony and 45 newly built for the event.
The opening ceremony will take place at the Dong’an Lake Sports Park Stadium on July 28, while the closing ceremony is scheduled to be held on August 8 at the Chengdu Open Air Music Park.
Indians in action at the World University Games 2023
Archery
Men: Sachin Gupta, Rishabh Yadav, Yashdeep Bhoge, Akhgil Samudrala, Aman Saini, Sangampreet singh
Women: Sangeeta, Tanisha Verma, Avneet Kaur, Reeta Sawaiyan, Pragati
Volleyball
Men: Santhosh S, Aswath P, GN Dushyanth, Tanish Choudhary, Harshit Giri, Aman Kumar, Dushyant Singh, Sameer Chaudhary, Surya prakash, Jasjodh Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Sawan
Women: Sumedha Kumari, Purna Shukla, Roli Pathak, Arya Kuriyedath, Mamali Nag, Bothini R, Sruthi Lakshmi K S, Athria Roy, Shibani P, Veena Kumaran, Neha, Ananya sree
Table Tennis
Men: Divyansh S, Himnakulhpuingheta , Wesley, Mudit jalaj, Jaynil Mehta
Women: Anannya Basak, Namna Jayswal, Mridula, Rashapriya Goel, Anjali Rohilla
Judo
Men: Vikas Dalal, Rohit Ahlawat, Sheetal singh, Yash Ghangas, Shiva Kumar, Harshpreet Singh, Keshav
Women: Unnati Sharma, Indubala devi, Antim Yadav, Tulika Maan, Yamini Mourya, Nandini Vats, Tanishtha Tokas
Shooting
Men: Sartaj Singh, Surya Pratap Singh, Adarsh Singh, Varun Tomar, Arjun Babuta, Arjun Singh, Aishwary Pratap Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu, Udhayveer Singh, Divyansh Singh, Anmol Jain
Women: Ashi Chouksey, Abhidnya Patil, Sift Kaur, Ayushi Podder, Elavenil Valarivan, Manu Bhaker, Chinki Yadav, Yashaswini Deswal, Manini Kaushik
Athletics
Men: Shubham Bhandare, Lalu Prasad, Pravin kumar, Yoonus Shah, Shashikant, Theerthesh prashanth, Neeraj kumar, Vaisakh Ajikumar, Robinson Sekar, Arun Rathood, Arjun Waskale, Ajay Kumar, Stalin Sephen, Yaman deep Sharma, Nitin Kumar, Sahib Singh, Amlan Borgohain, Anuj Kalera, Hari Behera, Siddhant Pujari, Rohit Sharma, Swadhin Majhi, Sajan Rejimon, Lokesh Sathanathan, Pradeep Kumar, Vikrant Malik, Ravi, Rohith Aramban, Hardeep, Nirbhay Singh, Gurdev Singh, Omkar Kumbhar, Anurag Yadav, Sahil
Women: Pragyan Sahu, Khyati Mathur, Pooja Kumawat, Neha, Sathya Tamilarasan, Laxita Sandilea, Bhavani Bhagvathi, Tanya Chaudhary, Rinkee Pawara, Nikita Lamba, Susmita Tigga, Sinchana MR, Nidhi Singh, Poorva Sawant,Manisha Merel, Sudeshna Shivankar, Simran deep Kaur, Sindhushree Ganesha, Shalini Choudhary, Priyanka, Poonam Sonune, Nidhi Pawaiya, Shiksha, Avantika Narale, Rani Muchandi, Reshma Kevate, Harita, Maya, Tanu, Anusha Mallala, Dhivya Jayaram, Pooja, Bhagyashree Navale, Nirmaben Thakor, Shivechha Patil, Basanti Kumari, Rashdeep Kaur, Mukesh Kumari, Pratyusha Chelmi, Mansi Negi, Jyothi Yarraji
Tennis
Men: Kabir Hans, Lohithaksha Bathrinath,
Women: Pooja Ingale, Sravya Chilakalapudi
Wushu
Men: Bhanu Singh, Sharwan Kumar, Ravi, Sanma Brahma, Tega
Women: Mepung Lamgu, Roshibina Naorem, Nyeman Wangsu
Swimming
Men: Saran Karnan, Veer Khatkar, Srihari Natraj, Krishna Gadakh, Sunil Kumar Gowda, Shubhrant Patra, Danush Suresh, Shwejal Mankar, Anurag Singh, Beniston Manickaraj B, Kushagra Rawat, Kalp Bohra
Women: Arati Patil, Firdoush Kayamkhani, Kalyani Saxena, Preetha Venkatesh, Anumati Chougule, Shristi Upadhaya, Chahat Arora, Shrungi Bandekar, Pratyasa Ray, Rishika Bodele, Uttara Gogoi, Jyoti Patil
Badminton
Men: Adheep Gupta, Arya Bhivpathaki, Meireba Maisnam,
Women: Uthsava Palit, Akansha Matte, Taneesha Singh
Fencing
Men: Durgesh Jahagirdar, Oinam Singh, Mayank Sharma, Neer, Tushar Aher, Thoungamba Laishram, Javed Chowdhary, Tuphan Nandeibam, Shankar Pandey, Ajaysinh Chudasama, Abhay Shinde, Ankit Sharma
Women: Shiksha Ballouria, Rishika Khajuria, Yashkeerat Hayer, Riya Bakshi, Isha, Sanya, Jyotika Dutta, Taniksha Khatri, Kanagalakshmi VP, Anita Phamdom, Tannu Gulia, Jagmeet Kaur
Taekwondo
Men: Manjeet Singh, Vikash, Abhijeet Balyan, Prithviraj Chouhan, Sanket Dhounchak, Samsher Singh, Japnam Singh, Ajay Kumar, Tashi Tundup
Women: Jyoti Yadav, Himashi Antil, Shivangi Chanambam, Etisha Das, Shipa Thapa, Shweta Yadav, Parsida Nongmaithem, Anushiya Premraj, Pooja
FISU World University Games will be streamed on FISU.tv from July 28 to August 8.
(This news is published through a syndicated feed courtesy SportsStar – The Hindu)
