Which Indian boxer was the first to win an Olympic medal?
- A.Mary Kom
- B.Vijender Singh
- C.Lovlina Borgohain
- D.Nikhat Zareen
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Vijender Singh. Vijender Singh of Bhiwani in Haryana won the bronze medal in the middleweight category at the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008, becoming the first boxer from India ever to win an Olympic medal, and he later received the Arjuna and Padma Shri honours. Option A is wrong because Mary Kom's Olympic bronze came four years later, at London in 2012, which made her the first Indian woman boxer to win an Olympic medal, though not the first Indian boxer. Option C is wrong because Lovlina Borgohain won her bronze medal at the Tokyo Games held in 2021. Option D is wrong because Nikhat Zareen is known for her world championship gold medals rather than for an Olympic medal, and she came into the national side long after 2008.
Read the full article: Wrestling, Boxing and Shooting: Rules and Medallists
Practice Questions
View allIndependent India's first individual Olympic medal was won in wrestling by
- A.Sushil Kumar
- B.Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav
- C.Guru Hanuman
- D.Yogeshwar Dutt
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Jadhav, a wrestler from Satara in Maharashtra, won the bronze medal in freestyle bantamweight wrestling at the Helsinki Olympic Games of 1952, and that was the first Olympic medal won by an individual athlete of independent India, all earlier medals having come to the men's hockey team.
Read the full explanation →In which style of wrestling are holds below the waist not allowed?
- A.Freestyle
- B.Greco-Roman
- C.Sumo
- D.Beach wrestling
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In Greco-Roman wrestling a competitor may not seize the opponent below the waist and may not use the legs actively to trip or lock, so every attack must be made with the arms and the upper body and the style is famous for its high throws.
Read the full explanation →Who was the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal?
- A.Vinesh Phogat
- B.Geeta Phogat
- C.Sakshi Malik
- D.Babita Kumari
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Sakshi Malik of Rohtak in Haryana won the bronze medal in the 58 kilogram freestyle category at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games of 2016, coming back from behind in the last seconds of her repechage bout, and she thus became the first Indian woman wrestler to stand on an…
Read the full explanation →Abhinav Bindra won India's first individual Olympic gold medal in which event?
- A.25 metre rapid fire pistol
- B.Double trap
- C.10 metre air rifle
- D.50 metre rifle three positions
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Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in the men's 10 metre air rifle event at the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008, and it remains the first individual gold medal ever won by India at the Olympics; the only earlier golds had been won by the men's hockey team.
Read the full explanation →The terms 'southpaw' and 'below the belt' are associated with which sport?
- A.Wrestling
- B.Boxing
- C.Shooting
- D.Fencing
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A southpaw is a boxer who stands with the right foot forward and leads with the right hand because the left is the stronger one, and below the belt describes an illegal punch landed under the waistline, for which the referee warns or disqualifies the offender.
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