PV Sindhu named India's flagbearer at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

Commonwealth Games to be held on Thursday. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who was also the defending champion in the Commonwealth Games having won the gold in Gold Coast four years ago, was expected to be the flagbearer. But a groin injury following his silver medal at the World Championships forced him to pull out and the Indian Olympic Association picked Sindhu to be the flagbearer from a three-member shortlist.

Tokyo Olympics medallists -- weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and boxer Lovlina Borgohain are the other two athletes, who were also considered before IOA decided to go for Sindhu. "It's with great pleasure that we announce Sindhu as the flagbearer for Team India,"acting IOA president Anil Khanna said in a release. Sindhu was also the flagbearer at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

India's history at the Commonwealth Games

"The other two athletes, Chanu and Borgohain, were immensely deserving too, but we went ahead with Sindhu because she is a two-time Olympic medallist. We expect Sindhu will continue to do well and perform with excellence at these Games."

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The 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games begins this Thursday in Birmingham. The sporting action gets underway on Friday. India have established themselves as one of the powerhouses in the quadrennial tournament over the editions with regular top-four finishes since the turn of the 21st century.

The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games has the largest contingent of female athletes in the history of the Games. "So the IOA sensed fit that we spotlight our commitment to gender equity, in adherence to the spirit of the Olympic Charter, by shortlisting three women athletes for the prestigious role of Team