Written By
DNA Web Team
| Updated: Dec 24, 2016, 07:55 AM IST
It was an action-packed year in Indian sport, one filled with historic achievements, joy as well as heartbreak. We give you, the reader, a chance to pick your best sportsperson from our nominations below. Go ahead and vote...
Virat Kohli (Cricket)
The poster boy of Indian cricket had a Bradmanesque year both as a batsman and skipper. Be it T20Is, ODIs or Tests, Kohli with an average of 88.96 currently sits on top of the table of highest run-getters across all formats in 2016. He not only guided India to the top of Test rankings but ensured his team remained unbeaten in Tests in 2016 and had a record 18-match unbeaten streak.
Ravichandran Ashwin (Cricket)
Seventy-two wickets, eight five-wicket hauls in an innings, three 10-wicket hauls in a match, 612 runs, two centuries: that's Ravichandran Ashwin's 2016 for you in Test cricket. No wonder, the Tamil Nadu off-spinner was voted as the best cricketer as well as the best Test cricketer by the International Cricket Council. Richly deserved for India's biggest match-winner.
PV Sindhu (Badminton)
Emerging from shadows of Saina Nehwal, Pullela Gopichand’s new prodigy ended Chinese domination in badminton and clinched silver at Rio Olympics after losing a thrilling final against Spain’s Carolina Marin. In this process, she became the first woman from the country to win a silver medal at Olympics. She also capped off the year by winning her maiden Superseries crown in China.
Sakshi Malik (Wrestling)
She might not have been in the spotlight but the 23-year old ended India's agonising wait for a medal at the Rio Olympics by clinching bronze in the 58kg freestyle wrestling category. This was history in itself as prior to Malik, no other Indian woman wrestler had won an Olympic medal. Her feat also saved the grace of the sport which had given India three medals from the past two Games.
Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics)
The Tripura youngster brought a new dawn to gymnastic in India by becoming the first woman gymnast from the country to qualify for the Olympics. She missed out on a medal by a whisker, but finished an impressive fourth in the women’s vault finals in Rio. Karmakar took the world by storm while executing one of the most dangerous feats in gymnastics, the Produnova vault.
Devendra Jhajharia (Javelin throw)
The veteran javelin thrower repeated his 2004 Athens heroics to clinch gold in 2016 Rio Paralympics and thus became the only Indian to win two yellow metals at the quadrennial event. Participating in the F46 event, Jhajharia set a new record in javelin throw with 63.97m, bettering his own world record throw at Athens of 62.15m.
Mariyappan Thangavelu (High jump)
The images of Mariappan Thangavelu taking giant steps on his left foot and then launching himself off his right one to leap over the bar captured the imagination of every Indian. That jump made the 21-year-old with a permanent disability on his right leg India’s third-ever gold medallist at the Paralympic Games. He won the men’s T42 high jump event with a jump of 1.89m.
Aditi Ashok (Golf)
Probably the biggest success story of the year belonged to the young Aditi Ashok. Having turned pro only on January 1, Aditi had a breakthrough season in the first year itself. The Bengaluru golfer has already secured a Ladies European Tour card for 2016, becoming the first and the youngest Indian to do so. She also won the Women's Indian Open and Qatar Ladies Open titles, besides impressing at the Rio Olympics.
PR Sreejesh (Hockey)
He was appointed to lead the senior hockey team to replace the highly-experienced Sardar Singh, and Sreejesh stepped up to the role admirably. In only his first tournament as a captain, he guided India to a historic silver medal in the FIH Champions Trophy. The Rio Olympics show was a bit of a let down, but there's no doubting Sreejesh's ability as India's best goalkeeper and a leader.
Vijender Singh (Boxing)
Having taken the plunge into professional boxing and winning his first three fights last year, the challenge of sustaining the results was staring at Vijender in 2016. He passed each of those challenges, and how. Five bouts, five knockouts was the boxer's record this year. He also bagged the WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title this year, and also defended it to end the year.
