XtraTime Web Desk: The year 2018 has been full of stunning performances by the Indian sportspeople. Here, www.xtratime.in discusses 4 superstars who made India proud in the global stage.
Virat Kohli
This talismanic Indian cricket skipper has been setting new boundaries – if there ever was any. His passion, determination and ‘never say die’ attitude reflects every single time he dons the Indian jersey. Scoring five test centuries in the year, Kohli took his total century tally to 25 in tests and 38 in ODI. Despite the disappointing results in South Africa and England, the one thing that remained consistent was Kohli’s performance. In the series against West Indies which took place in his country soil, the captain scored three back to back one-day centuries. It was fitting for him to bestow the Khel Ratna award – the country’s highest sporting honor.
Hima Das
Hailing from Assam, the 18-year-old took the world by storm when she registered history to become the first-ever Indian women to win a gold medal at the IAAF event. Following which, she displayed another sensational performance at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta. In the tournament, she won a silver medal in the 400m final with a national record finish and also the 4x400m relay. The young athlete has ended the year with an impressive rank of 23 in the world and second in the continent.
Mary Kom
The ‘Magnificent Mary’ defeated Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota in the 48 kg category final of the Women’s World Boxing Championship which was held in Delhi. Doing so, she sealed her historic sixth gold medal in the World boxing championship tournament. The achievement marks a remarkable one for Mary Kom, who at the age of 35, clinched a record-breaking sixth world championship gold medal 16 years after she had won her first gold.
Sunil Chhetri
The Indian football skipper carried the hopes of a billion and famously led the Indian team to the top 100 FIFA ranking. Chhetri has played a crucial role in revolutionizing Indian football and he continues to do so. The Indian football team won the Intercontinental cup under his leadership and qualified for the AFC Asian Cup in 2019. Another incredible achievement by Sunil Chhetri this year was he equaled the tally of the Argentine legend Lionel Messi as the second highest international goalscorer among the active footballers with 64 goals.