Commonwealth Games 2022 starts off on 28 July at Birmingham England. Bajrang Punia, the Indian freestyle wrestler is a part of this international multi-sport event this year. Before starting off with the upcoming season, let's take a look at his achievements in the Commonwealth Games till now.

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Bajrang Punia is the winner of 2 medals in the Commonwealth Games till now. On his participation in this global event in 2014 and 2018, he claimed the gold medal and the silver medal respectively. Also, in the last Tokyo Olympics 2020, Bajrang brought the bronze medal home by beating Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan with a margin of 8-0. In that match, he clearly dominated over his opponent to successfully win by a wide difference of 8-0. His most recent medal came in 2021. He clinched the gold medal in the 65 kg event at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021, hosted in Rome, Italy.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Bajrang Punia won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 61 kg category in this tournament. He lost 1-4 to Canada's David Tremblay in the final and claimed the silver medal. To reach the finals, the Indian wrestler won 4-1 against Marno Plaatjies in the quarter-finals. Later, in the semi-finals, he also defeated Amas Daniel, the Nigerian wrestler 3-1, and booked the ticket to the finals.

Read also: Shailaja Kumar: the first Indian woman to compete in the Winter Olympics

2018 Commonwealth Games:

Gold Coast, Australia hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games finals. Punia defeated Wales' Kane Charig by Technical Superiority and won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 65 kg category.

Do you think that he can bring any medal home this year in the Commonwealth Games 2022? Let us know in the comments below.

World Athletics has earlier announced that athletes should wear shoes with a uniform 20-millimeter sole thickness limit for all events. This rule will come into action on November 1st, 2024, marking a notable change in the actions of the athletes.

This rule has been induced to welcome fairness in the game. However, this has sparked controversies. While many athletes have accepted it, some are still in dilemmas about the rule.

Well, let's look at how the rule will impact the performance. However, for now, let's look at the present thickness.

Current Shoe Sole Thickness Rules in Athletics

Presently, there is no such uniformity of sole thickness. Thickness normally varies according to the events in which the athletes participate.

Suppose, in events where an athlete will have run more than 800 meters, shoes are allowed to have a sole up to 25 mm. However, when it comes to shorter distances, the maximum thickness has been limited to 20 mm.

For field events, including the high jump, athletes have a 20mm limit. But for the triple jump, athletes are allowed to wear shoes with soles up to 25mm.

These rules were implemented in January 2022, based on the technological advancements in shoes. However, from 1st November this year, there will be no distinction in sole thickness in different events.

Point to be noted: the rules for road events like marathons and race walks, which permit a 40mm sole thickness, will remain unchanged.

Why is World Athletics enforcing a 20mm sole limit?

The main motto of World Athletics is to ensure fairness. As a result of this, the federation has decided to apply the rule of a uniform 20mm limit to the sole.

In recent years, advances in shoe technology—particularly with thicker soles and carbon fiber plates—have sparked debates about whether these shoes offer athletes some unfair advantage.

Thus, World Athletics created its own Working Group on Athletic Shoes in 2020. The main task of this group is to analyze the impact of shoe technology on performance. They also draft regulations, ensuring that athletes are focusing more on skills and not technology.

The new rule was announced well in advance to give shoe manufacturers ample time to adapt their designs.

Athletes' Reactions to the 20mm Rule Change

Top athletes have had mixed reactions to the upcoming rule. Joshua Cheptegei, the Olympic and World Champion in the 10,000 meters, supports the change, describing it as "for the benefit of the sport."

He added that the thinner soles won’t necessarily lead to slower times, emphasizing that performance is often influenced by an athlete's mindset. Cheptegei also noted that recent shoe technology has aided recovery between training sessions, which could be impacted by the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Muktar Edris, a former two-time 5,000m World Champion, said that a thicker sole helps the athletes, providing them extra "energy" and "push." A reduced sole may hamper a regular action.

The Controversy Surrounding Shoe Technology

The controversy regarding shoe technology is nothing new. Before 2022, the track spikes had soles with thicknesses up to 30 mm.

During the Tokyo Olympics, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt brought this issue to the public, citing the unfair advantage an athlete may receive due to thicker boots. Not only that, but with the increased use of technologically advanced shoes, world records that looked unbreakable are at stake.

Karsten Warholm, the one who holds the World Record in 400m hurdles, also expressed his concern. After winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, he questioned the boots of the runner-up, Rai Benjamin.

Warholm made serious claims that Benjamin used thicker Nike soles that provided the later an unfair advantage. Warholm's remarks not only concerned the federation but drew attention to the fine line between technological innovation and "technological doping."

The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance

Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete who broke the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019, sparked controversies at his time as well. He used the Nike Alphafly, which featured thick soles and carbon plates. However, the nature of the event didn't let that record count. 

Later, World Athletics introduced a rule. It required the new shoes to be in the open market for at least four months prior to the competition. This rule also aspired to thwart athletes with exclusive shoe deals from gaining an unfair advantage.

Will the 20mm sole limit affect athlete performance?

It is not exactly negative, but the athletes will solely depend on their physical abilities and techniques. Yes, a few athletes do consider this to hurt their performance, but just like Cheptegei mentioned, mental resilience and training will play a crucial role in breaking records or achieving personal bests (PB).

Well, a reduced cushion in the sole will demand more energy from the athlete. Thus, athletes need to adjust their training regimes to adapt to the new rules.

World Athletics had mentioned clearly that they want to promote uniformity. They want the athletes to rely on their power and skills, not some technology beneath their feet, that will change and evolve with time. 

However, with shoe manufacturers rushing to adapt their designs, the real test will come when athletes compete under the new regulations in 2024.

A lot of instances have seen cricket being differentiated from other sports. Especially, in South Asian countries, where cricket rules a fraternity, "sports" look doomed. An established "Cricket versus Sports" league is not a 2-month long tournament. It's an age-long duel with apparent results. But, is cricket guilty?

If we look back, Cricket was not as big as it is now. Restricted within the allies of a colonized country, cricket was just a time pass. 36 years to Independence, but a famous singer (Lata Mangeshkar) had to arrange a charity musical show to gather prize money for the 1983 World Cup Winners.

India gained some confidence since then. the biggest boost came after the win in the inaugurating T20 World Cup Win. 2007, 24the September, exactly 20 years back, the seed of the cash-rich league got sown. 

Indian Premier League, started in 2008, is the biggest source of money earning for BCCI. Keeping aside BCCI, the neighbouring cricketing nations have their cricket board more powerful than the other boards. But is this a fault of Cricket?

"Athletes" ignites the fire of "Cricket versus Sport" League

India won its second T20I World Cup after ending its 11 years of drought. The fans who were frustrated for a decade finally got one thing to celebrate. The Marine Drive got flooded with people. The Wankahde Stadium showed all its suppresed love to the team.

Felicitations came from their respective state governments. BCCI provided a huge lump of prize money to the players and the support staff.

But this has triggered athletes from different sports. Names like Chirag Shetty and Saina Nehwal came into the limelight criticizing the sport. When Shetty wanted equal recognition for India's win in the last Uber Cup, Saina went a step ahead. Her view was simple- people wouldn't even hate cricket even if she did so. But, why would someone hate cricket?

This is not a once or twice-told story. This widespread competition with cricket is not new. But is cricket a foe to other sports? Here are a few stories of "influence" and "idolization" in the recent past, not only from India but from neighbors too.

Sri Lanka Cricket funded CWG participating athletes.

The pre-2022 Commonwealth Games has seen an economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Not just economic, but the life on the island was distressed. The then Prime Minister Rajadhakshya fled from the country. Sri Lanka since its independence faced their record crisis.

The country fell short of food and fuel. The pandemic had already hit the Sports authorities. The crisis increased the hardships. They ran out of money. The situation was so pathetic that the boards couldn't manage transport to send the accessories to the athletes

At a point, the country thought of withdrawing its name from the Birmingham CWG. But at that very moment, Sri Lanka Cricket stepped in.

The board contributed 22 million Sri Lankan Rupees to the athletes participating. They hosted Australia and gathered the amount, despite the fears of the crowd ruining it.

Cricket Sri Lanka tried to cover all the funds. However, the athletes still had limited athleisure. CWG authorities too came in help for the athletes. Sri Lanka finished the CWG Campaign with four medals (one silver and three bronze).

Pakistan Cricket Board- the unsung sponsor for Arshad Nadeem

The Paris Olympics Gold medallist Arshad Nadeem was initially an age-group cricket player, His focus later shifted to javelin through which Pakistan got its first medal after 1992.

Arshad Nadeem registered a monstrous throw of 92.97 metres sealing the gold for his country. Earlier he won the silver at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Budapest, with a throw of 87.82 meters. He gave Pakistan’s first-ever medal at the World Athletics Championships.

But what did Pakistan give him? ignorance! The Commonwealth champion earlier expressed that he has been using a javelin for the last 8 years. His bosom friend and admirer Neeraj Chopra from India tweeted, urging the Pakistan Government to buy Nadeem news javelins.

Nadeem hails from Punjab's Miyan Channu village. Struggling themselves, the villagers funded him for his Olympic campaign. Added, that it was the Pakistan Cricket Bard who sponsored him.

PCB also financed Nadeem and his coach Salman Fayyaz Butt's air tickets.

Read also: A Bronze costs just USD 100: Trembling Future of Pakistan Hockey Team

BCCI's baby steps for Olympians

Earlier BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced financial aid for the Olympians.BCCI granted Rs. 8.5 Crores (approximately $1.03 million) to the Indian Olympic Association for their Olympics campaign.

Recently a new NCA (National Cricket Academy) is near completion. The old existing facilities at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the city center will be upgraded to a multi-sport training facility.

Apart from the cricketers, it will open doors for the Olympians too. NCA will have new facilities that will let them train there.

The new facilities will have World-Class Playing Grounds will have:

• 45 Practice Pitches: A variety of pitches to cater to different training needs.
• Indoor Cricket Facilities: For year-round practice and skill development.
• Olympic-Sized Swimming Pool: To aid in recovery and cross-training for athletes.
• State-of-the-Art Training and Recovery Facilities: Equipped with the latest sports science technology to help athletes maintain peak physical condition and recover efficiently from injuries.

Cricketer- "athlete" collaboration

When one section came forward criticizing the fame, the other one took it handy to make their own.

Mahi's influence

Speaking about Swapnil Kusale, he himself mentioned that he doesn't follow any other sport apart from shooting. But he follows Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Kusale, who is an Indian Railways employee is a ticket checker like Dhoni. It took him 12 years to feature in the Olympics. And take India's first ever 10m Rifle position 3 medal. The Asian Games Champion accepted that MS's calm personality helps him to stay calm in chaos.

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The Kohli aggression

One of the biggest heartbreak for any badminton fan was Lakshya Sen's exit from the Olympics without a medal. The Chinese Lee Zii Jia shattered Sen's bronze medal dream. 

But Sen's popularity is still unmatched in the sports arena. Even though he is "big," he still wants to "be the Virat Kohli of Indian badminton in coming years." In "The Ranveer Show" podcast he expressed his admiration for Kohli.

The other name that comes in the list is Nitesh Kumar. The Olympic Champion in the Men's Singles SL3 category is a Kohli fan. His winning celebration had some glimpses of Kohli's aggression.

But Nitesh's love for Kohli is not limited to celebrations. After succumbing to a deadly injury in Vizag, he started upgrading his badminton skills. Not only that, he delved himself into fitness, inspired by the 2013 version of Kohli.

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The Wall looks upon The Wall

Soon after retirement, Indian Men's Hockey team goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh was assigned to train the junior hockey team. The two-time Olympic Bronze medallist was delighted to get this role. he not only talked about the future prospects but did mentioned about Rahul Dravid.

"The Wall" of Indian Hockey looked upon "The Wall" of Indian Cricket when it came to coaching. The way Dravid devoted himself to training the cricketing juniors, Seejesh is looking forward to doing the same for his sports.

Read also: Hockey India decides to retire jersey No. 16 in honor of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh

Cricket is another sport

The 2028 Olympics will feature Cricket after 128 years. The brand value of Virat Kohli played a pivotal role in the addition of cricket. But as Sunil Chhetri, the Indian former captain of Indian Football once said, Cricket excelling is great for that country. Then, how does that justify other sports not getting the "love" cricket gets?

How does that justify Chirag Shetty repeatedly slipping down on the court, in the Olympics quarterfinal, having his partner Sattwikraj Rankireddy as the lone warrior? 

How does that justify the associations not getting enough funds and definitely investing to find talent?

How does that justify archers failing to read the wind in bigger stages?

It's an open-ended question. Is it cricket the enemy, or the system? Is cricket actually an enemy or a friend in need?

The Paris Olympics 2024 is going to start from July 26, all the countries of the world including India are busy in preparations for these games. The last few Olympic events have seen a steady increase in the number of Indian athletes. This time too, India is already busy in preparations for its Paris 2024 mission.

Read Also: Vinesh Phogat wins Paris Olympics Quota in Women's 50kg category

India won maximum number of medals in Tokyo

Earlier a total of 124 players from India had participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This was by far the largest contingent of Indian players who had participated in the Olympic Games. This team of India also won the maximum number of medals in the Games. It was in this Olympics itself that Neeraj Chopra created history by winning a historic gold medal in the men's javelin throw event.

Also Read: Looking back at India's 7 medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Bhowneesh Mendiratta couldn't make it to the final team

This time many new athletes are getting a chance in the Paris Olympics 2024. Trap shooter Bhowneesh Mendiratta secured India's first Paris 2024 quota at the 2022 ISSF World Championships. But Bhowneesh could not make it to the final team after the national trials. After this, Prithviraj Tondaiman was given a quota in the men's trap event.

Shooters secure quotas in every category 

Notably, for the first time, Indian shooters have secured quotas in every Olympic shooting category. Earlier, 15 shooters from India had participated in Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's medals at the Olympics by sports

Paris 2024 flagbearer

Famous badminton star PV Sindhu will lead the Indian contingent along with famous table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal during the opening ceremony of the upcoming Paris 2024. However, no name has been announced yet for the closing ceremony, which is expected to be announced later. 

There are 82 quota places from India so far have confirmed for the Paris 2024. Here is the list of players who have qualified for the Games.

Indian athletes who qualified for Paris Olympics 2024

In the realm of Indian sporting history, the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will forever be marked as a unforgettable moment. With a remarkable tally of seven medals, India shattered records and expectations as this was country's best medal haul ever at the Olympics. Some sections of the sporting fraternity were disappointed that India’s medal total did not touch double figures, but the fact is that Tokyo Games saw a stupendous show by the Indian athletes at the highest level. 

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's medals at the Olympics by sports

Since the Paris Olympics 2024 are about to start in a few months (July 26), let's relive some old memories of Tokyo Olympics 2020. 

India's 7 medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Neeraj Chopra | Gold

Neeraj Chopra etched his name in history books by clinching India's first-ever Olympic gold in track and field. Neeraj started with a throw of 87.03m and stunned the world by throwing 87.58 meters in his second attempt in the final of the javelin throw event of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. No one came close to the mark set by Neeraj, including the likes of Germany’s Johannes Vetter and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. This is India's first Olympic medal in athletics in more than 100 years. Neeraj is also the second Indian player to win an individual gold medal. Earlier, shooter Abhinav Bindra had won the gold medal in men's 10-meter air rifle at the Beijing Olympics 2008.

Also Read: 'I will try to breach the 90m mark before Paris Olympics': Neeraj Chopra aims to retain his Olympic gold in Paris

Mirabai Chanu | Silver

Manipur's Mirabai Chanu registered India's name in the medal tally Tokyo Olympics 2020. She ended a 21-year medal drought in weightlifting by winning a silver medal in the 49 kg category during her four successful attempts across the competition. This 29-year-old player removed the disappointment she faced in the Rio Olympics (2016) by lifting a total weight of 202 kg. Mirabai is also a former world champion and holds the world record in the clean and jerk event in the 49kg category.

Ravi Dahiya | Silver

Ravi Kumar Dahiya, born in Nahari village of Sonepat district of Haryana, proved his strength and technique by winning the silver medal in men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling. He is the only second Indian wrestler, after Sushil Kumar, to win an Olympic silver medal. Dahiya secured his Olympic berth by winning the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championship and then won the Asian Championship in Delhi in 2020 and defended the title in Almaty this year.

PV Sindhu | Bronze

PV Sindhu was already considered a strong medal contender for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and she did not disappoint anyone by winning the bronze medal. This 28-year-old player had earlier won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is the only woman from the country to win multiple medals in the Olympics. Her performance in the Tokyo Games can be gauged from the fact that she had not lost a single game before losing two games against Tai Tzu Ying. The Hyderabadi shuttler made her mark at the international level in 2014 after winning bronze medals at the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships. 

Also Read: From Abhinav Brinda to PV Sindhu: Every First for India at Olympics

Lovlina Borgohain | Bronze

Lovlina Borgohain of Assam created history by winning a bronze medal in her first Olympics. She is the third Indian to win an Olympic medal in boxing after Vijender Singh (2008) and MC Mary Kom (2012). Before going on a 52-day tour of Europe to prepare for the Olympics, she got infected with Covid 19 but she made a spectacular comeback and defeated former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals of the 69 kg category. The 26-year-old signed off with a bronze medal after a 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli.

Bajrang Punia | Bronze

Before these games, Bajrang Punia was also considered the biggest contender for the gold medal in the Tokyo Games. After losing in the semi-finals, he could not fulfill his dream of gold medal due to multiple injuries. Bajrang suffered a knee injury in Russia in a tournament and then also pulled his left hamstring. Despite this, he brought glory to the country by winning the bronze medal. Bajrang beat Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov 8-0 in the 65kg bronze medal bout. With his bronze, Indian wrestlers matched their best performance at the Tokyo Olympics.

Also Read: $50000 per Gold medal winner in Athletics at Paris Olympics

Indian Men's Hockey Team | Bronze

The Indian Men's Hockey Team ended a 41-year drought in the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by winning the bronze medal. Although this medal was not gold, it was enough to make hockey popular again in the country. After losing badly by 1-7 against Australia in the second match of the group stage, the team made a great comeback under the leadership of Manpreet Singh. After defeating Belgium in the semi-finals, the team defeated Germany 5-4 in the bronze medal play-off. This was India's third hockey bronze medal in the history of the Olympics. The other two before this were won in the 1968 Mexico City and the 1972 Munich Games.

2022 has seen everything. From Commonwealth Games to FIFA World Cup, the year had it all. India's 61 medals in the Birmingham Games brought happiness to millions of Indian fans while the loss in T20 World Cup saw them share sadness as well. However, it was one of the happiest years for you if you were a Lionel Messi fan who won the only trophy he had not won in his career. Post a remarkable sporting year, Sportz Point present you all the winners of Sportz Point Awards 2022.

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List of winners | Sportz Point Awards 2022

Emerging cricketer of the year (Male) | Arshdeep Singh (India)

Emerging Cricketer of the year (Female) | Renuka Singh Thakur (India)

Global Cricketer of the year (Male) | Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Global Cricketer of the year (Female) | Alyssa Healy (Australia)

Global Footballer of the year (Male) | Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Global Footballer of the year (Female) | Beth Mead (England)

Global Athlete of the year (Male) | Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Global Athlete of the year (Female) | Katie Ledecky (USA)

Read Also: Most medals in Commowealth Games by Indian Athletes

Indian Athlete of the year (Male) – Chirag Shetty & Satwiksairaj Rankireddy

Indian Athlete of the year (Female) – Nikhat Zareen

Emerging athlete of the year – Tressa Jolly

Indian Para Athlete of the year – Bhavina Patel

Indian Team of the year – Lawn bowl women's fours

Match of the year – India vs Denmark, Thomas Cup 2022 semi-final

Indian Sports personality of the year – Sharath Kamal