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Xtra Time Web Desk: The upcoming Tokyo Olympics can prove to be India’s best chance for winning multiple medals. India's best Olympic performance came in 2012 London Olympics when the country won as many as six medals, including four bronze and two silver medals. For a nation of billions, the country has underperformed at the Games. The country has won only 28 medals in the 116 years history of Olympics. With four days to go for the biggest sporting spectacle, all eyes will be on the athletes who will carry the hopes of the nation.  Xtra Time has been analyzing the medal prospects of the country at Tokyo Summer Games in various disciplines. Let us focus on the Indian athletics contingent.

Athletics has never been India’s strong suit at the Olympics. However there is hope at Tokyo Games with nine of the 16 qualifiers in individual events having broken National records this year. Twelve athletes achieved the qualification standards, four — 400m hurdler M.P. Jabir, 50km walker Gurpreet Singh, sprinter Dutee Chand and discus thrower Annu Rani — made it through the World rankings route. The 16 member team will be spearheaded by javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and sprinter Dutee Chand at Tokyo Games. The track and field events at the Games will get underway from July 31 and will run through August 8.

Past performance in Olympics: As far as athletics is concerned India has won only two medal which dates back to 1900 during the second edition of the Games. It is debatable whether Kolkata born Norman Pritchard won the medals for the country or not. The International Olympic Committee though accredited them to India (as per the official website of IOC).

Indian squad:

KT Irfan, Men's 20km race walking

Sandeep Kumar, Men's 20km race walking

Rahul Rohilla, Men's 20km race walking

Gurpreet Singh, Men's 50km race walking

Bhawna Jat, Women's 20km race walking

Priyanka Goswami, Women's 20km race walking

Avinash Sable, Men's 3000m steeplechase

Murali Sreeshankar, Men's long jump

MP Jabir, Men's 400m hurdles

Neeraj Chopra, Men's javelin throw

Shivpal Singh, Men's javelin throw

Annu Rani, Women's javelin throw

Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Men's shot put

Dutee Chand, Women's 100m and 200m

Kamalpreet Kaur, Women's discus throw

Seema Punia, Women's discus throw

4x400 Mixed Relay

Men's 4x400m Relay

Neeraj Chopra:

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra could end independent India’s long wait for a medal in the Tokyo Olympics. A shoulder sprain dashed Neeraj’s hopes of making it to the last Olympics at Rio. He missed the 2019 Doha Worlds after an elbow surgery. He came back strongly at the start of the year to raise his own national record to 88.07m which places him fourth in the world list. German Johannes Vetter (96.29m) will be the favourite for the gold while Marcin Krukowski (89.55m), 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (89.55) and Gatis Cakss (89.12) will give Neeraj a tough fight.

Seema Antil:

She qualified for the discus throw event at the Tokyo Games with a 63.72m throw at the 60th National Inter-State Athletics Championships. She also threw 62.64m in Federation Cup in March. It will be her fourth Olympic Games. She failed to qualify for the final round of women's discus throw competition at the Rio Olympic Games after finishing 20th with a modest throw of 57.58m. The 37 year old discus thrower will have her last chance to win a medal at the Olympics in Tokyo.  

 Dutee Chand:

25 year old Dutee Chand will be the first Indian athlete to make it to the Olympics for the second time in a row in the 100m event. She will also compete in the 200m event for the first time at Tokyo as well as taking part on 4*400m mixed relay. It has been a fairy tale success story for Dutee given the kind of adversities she has had to face. The two-time Asian Games silver medalist will be more experienced heading to Tokyo. Her first aim will be to qualify for the semi finals with a bit of luck and favorable weather.