A moment of reckoning for Indian sports

Melbourne, Mar 14 (UNI) It is a moment of reckoning for India as it has much more at stake in the 18th edition of the Commonwealth Games, which commence here from tommorrow, than host Australia, England or New Zealand.

The reason is simple, India is to host the next edition of the Games at New Delhi and good showing here will be a positive endorsement and good advertisement for those games. A poor showing will have a casacading negative effect on the buildup for the 2010 event.

India has sent a huge delegation of 255 sportspersons and officials and it is the fourth biggest after Australia, New Zealand and England and no excuses will be accepted for poor performances.

India is taking part in ten disciplines in these Games - athletics, badminton, boxing, basketball, gymnastics, hockey, shooting, swimming, table tennis and weightlifting.

The Games face as uncertain future. Though 71 countries are taking part, they lack the vigour and excitement of an international sporting competition. Despite huge efforts by the organisers and the Australian Government, the Games have not caught the imagination of the people of this city which is considered to be the sports crazy capital of the world.

Indians will have to put up extraordinary performances to match the 70 medals including 30 golds they won in 2002 Manchester Games.

The number of gold medals is bound to come down as in weightlifting, in which India claimed 11 golds last time, there is only one gold for one event and not three for an event as in Manchester.

Also India had won three golds, two silvers and a bronze in wrestling in 2002, but this discipline is not included here.

India hopes to fill this gap with some good showing in shooting, last time Indians bagged 24 medals in this event, 14 gold, seven silver and three bronze and they are hopeful that with bit of Luck the shooters will manage to improve on the tally.

Shouldering the major burden will be the 27-strong shooting squad, the best among the particpating countries as they proved with their showing in Manchester and at the last Commonwealth championships here.

The golden vignettes of the last Commonwealth Games in Manchester are inspirational but it remains to be seen how much better they will do in these games.

Indian women surprised everybody, including themselves, by winning a gold in hockey competition but this time they will need a herculean effort to retain it. The Aussies are in tremendous form and England are looking for revenge, Kiwis are also in the run for podium finish.

It will indeed need luck, grit and determination for Indian women hockey team to hope for a podium finish.

The big draw for the Indians is men's hockey and the Asia Cup winners are hoping to make it to the podium for the first time in these game.

India had finished fourth In Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998 and did not figure in the 2002 edition, both times Australia won the gold.

On paper India can at least hope for a bronze, but coach Rajinder Singh asserted that if his boys played with determination ''We can do much better''.

But with dependable defender Harpal Singh ruled out for the Games and in the absence of Dilip Tirkey and William Xalxo the task ahead is formidable.

In weightlifting, India's image was dented at Manchester by two failed dope tests. Given the fact that India had enjoyed their biggest medal haul in the event -- 11 gold, nine silver and nine bronze -- the damage was visible and high as it affected country's overall standing and it slipped by a rung on the medals table.

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