The Olympics and India, 2024
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won a bronze jointly. Thus the total was 6.
Contents |
Day-wise results: some notable days
25 July
Indian men's and women's teams have entered the quarter-finals of the archery series at the Paris Olympics. Finishing above China, the Indian men's team will face the winner of the Turkiye vs Colombia match in the archery quarter-fin
27 July
India's campaign in shooting in the Paris 2024 Olympics started with a disappointment as two Indian teams in action during the qualification round in the 10 m air rifle mixed team events failed to make it to the medal matches
The first day of the Paris Olympics 2024 was a mixed day for the Indian contingent, as some of them were able to make their mark and some of them missed out on the chances. Let's take a look at the performance of the Indian athletes on Day 1:
Shooting:
10 Metre Air Rifle Mixed Team event:
India's campaign in shooting in the Paris 2024 Olympics started with a disappointment as two Indian teams in action during the qualification round in the 10 m air rifle mixed team events failed to make it to the medal matches on Saturday.
Two Indian pairs, Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh and Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal, took part in the 10 m air rifle mixed teams qualifiers. Only four teams out of 28 had the privilege of qualifying further for the knockout stages, i.e., a gold medal match for the top two teams and a bronze medal match for teams ranked third and fourth. India could not make it to the final four.
Men's 10 Metre Air Pistol:
India's disappointing run in shooting continued in Paris Olympics with Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Cheema failing to make it to the final round of the men's 10 m air pistol competition.
Cheema (18th spot with 574-17x points) and Sarabjot (9th spot with 577-16x points) failed to make it to the final eight who qualified for the medal round.
Women's 10 Metre Air Pistol:
Ace India shooter Manu Bhaker finished third in the qualification round of Women's 10 Metre Air Pistol to qualify for the final at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Saturday. While Rhythm Sangwan failed to make her place in the final after finishing in 15th place.
Badminton:
Men's Singles:
Ace India shuttler Lakshya Sen defeated Guatemala's Kevin Cordon 21-8, 22-20 in the Group L match of the ongoing Paris Olympics on Saturday. Lakshya won in straight sets with the match lasting 42 minutes.
Men's Doubles:
The Indian duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty started their Paris Olympics voyage with a win over France's Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar 21-17, 21-14 in the men's doubles Group C match on Saturday. Satwiksairaj and Chirag defeated Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar in a straight games and ended the match in 46 minutes.
Women's Doubles:
The Indian duo of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto conceded a defeat in the badminton women's doubles group stage match at the ongoing Paris Olympics.
Ponnappa and Crasto failed to clinch a win in their opening match of the multi-sport event in straight sets against the Republic of Korea's Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong. So Yeong-Hee Yong beat the Indian duo 21-18, 21-10. The game lasted for 46 minutes.
Hockey:
The Indian Men's Hockey Team began their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign with a stunning 3-2 win against New Zealand in a nervy contest on Saturday in Paris.
It was goals by Mandeep Singh (24'), Vivek Sagar Prasad (34') and Harmanpreet Singh (59') that ensured a strong start for India in Pool B, which includes reigning Olympic champions Belgium, Australia, Ireland and Argentina.
Table Tennis:
India's Harmeet Desai advanced to the Round of 64 in the men's singles table tennis at the ongoing Paris Olympics after beating Jordan's Zaid Abo Yaman 4-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5) in the preliminary round on Saturday. The 31-year-old will face Felix Lebrun of France at the South Paris Arena in the round of 64.
Boxing:
India's Preeti Pawar advanced to the Round of 16 after beating Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh by a unanimous decision in the women's 54 kg boxing round of 32 match at the ongoing Paris Olympics.
Kim Anh was on top after the first round, where the judges gave her a 3-2 split lead. However, the Indian boxer made a terrific comeback in the next two rounds to seal a victory in her maiden Olympics game.
Rowing:
India's Paris Olympics campaign in rowing was off to a shaky start as Balraj Panwar finished at fourth place in the first heat race on Saturday. Balraj clocked timings of 7:07:11 minutes to finish at number four out of six competitors in his heat. Only three players from each heat race could make it to the quarterfinals directly.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
28 July
Siddharth Thakur, July 29, 2024: Hindustan Times
Rohan Bopanna and Sriram Balaji lost their doubles opener on Day 2 of the Summer Games. Earlier, Manu Bhaker won bronze to open India's medal account.
Paris Olympics 2024 Day 2 highlights: Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics. Badminton ace PV Sindhu secured an easy win in her campaign opener.
Relying on the teachings of the Bhagwat Gita, Manu Bhaker ended India's 12-year wait by shooting bronze at the 2024 edition of the Olympics on Sunday. Ace shuttler PV Sindhu began her campaign with a dominant win by defeating Maldives' Razzaq in her women's singles first-round match on Day 2 of the Paris Olympics 2024. India's Ramita Jindal made the cut in 10m air rifle women's qualification round, finishing in fifth position while Elavenil Valarivan missed out by finishing 10th. On the other hand, Sreeja Akula defeated Chirstina Kallberg of Sweden 4-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) to enter the women's singles round of 32.
Manu Bhaker lands India's first medal with air pistol bronze
Expectations were high for Manu Bhaker, who became the first Indian woman shooter to claim an Olympic medal in the women's 10m air pistol event. From a heartbreak in Tokyo, where her gun malfunctioned, Bhaker completed her redemption by winning bronze to get India off the mark on the medal tally. The 22-year-old became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics.
Unseeded Nikhat Zareen to face reigning flyweight world champion
Nikhat Zareen, the two-time World Champion, also made her Olympic debut today. Easily India's best pugilist on show, Team India wants Nikhat to do what no boxer before her from the country has done – win either a gold or a silver medal. Lovlina Borgohain won a bronze at the Tokyo Games, but Nikhat is primed to go up a notch.
The fact that she has lost just two bouts in the last two years, during which she also claimed a bronze medal at last year's Asian Games is what makes her tough to beat. But the draws haven’t been too kind to Nikhat. She will face top seed Wu Yu of China in the next round. The top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion received a first-round bye.
Manika Batra bags easy win; Sharath Kamal sufferers shock exit
In table tennis, Manika Batra recorded a 4-1 win in the opener. Sharath Kamal suffered a shock exit from the Paris Olympics men's singles competition, losing 2-4 to lower-ranked Deni Kozul of Slovenia. Tennis superstars Rohan Bopanna and Sumit Nagal also recorded early exits from the Paris Olympics.
A quick look at India's results on Day 2 of the Paris Olympics-
Shooting
-Manu Bhaker finishes third in women's pistol final to claim a bronze medal.
-Ramita Jindal finishes 5th in 10m air rifle women's qualification round, Elavenil Valarivan misses out.
Tennis
-Rohan Bopanna/Sriram Balaji pair knocked out in 1st round of men's doubles, loses 5-7, 2-6 to Gael Monfils/Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
-Rafael Nadal will meet Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster second-round clash.
-Sumit Nagal knocked out in first round of men's singles, loses 2-6, 6-2, 5-7 to Corentin Moutet of France.
Archery
-India women's team knocked out in quarterfinals with 0-6 defeat to Netherlands.
Table tennis
-Manika Batra beats Anna Hursey of Great Britain 4-1 (11-8, 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5) to reach women's singles round of 32.
-Sharath Kamal loses to Deni Kozul of Slovenia 2-4 (12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12) in men's singles round of 64 match.
-Sreeja Akula beats Chirstina Kallberg of Sweden 4-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) to enter women's singles round of 32.
-Harmeet Desai loses to Felix Lebrun of France 8-11, 8-11, 6-11, 8-11 in men's singles round of 64.
Badminton
-PV Sindhu defeats Maldives' Razzaq in women's singles first round.
-HS Prannoy upstages Fabian Roth in men's singles Group K match.
Boxing
- Nikhat Zareen beats Maxi Kloetzer of Germany 5-0 in women's 50 kg category, moves to round of 16.
Rowing
-Balraj Panwar 2nd in men's singles Sculls repechage round, into quarters
Key takeaways from Day 2 of Paris Games 2024:
-Ace Indian shooter Manu Bhaker finished third to win a bronze medal in the final of the women's air pistol event.
-Manika Batra equalled her Tokyo Olympics feat by entering the round of 32 phase in women's singles.
-HS Prannoy defeated Fabian Roth of Germany 21-18, 21-12 in men's singles Group K match.
- Ramita Jindal entered the women's 10m air rifle final.
- PV Sindhu secured a big win in her campaign opener.
-Harmeet Desai's debut Olympic campaign ends with second-round exit.
29 July
July 30, 2024: Hindustan Times
Day 3 was a thrilling affair for India at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. Fans saw Manika Batra become the first Indian to qualify for the pre-quarterfinals in the singles category of table tennis at the Olympics. The Indian paddler defeated France's Prithika Pavade 3-0 to book a berth in the next round. Meanwhile, Manu Bhaker built on her bronze medal from Monday with a third-placed finish with Sarabjot Singh in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification event.
On the other hand, Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal missed out on medals. Babuta finished in fourth position in the 10m men's rifle final. Jindal came seventh in the 10m women's air rifle final.
Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen had to hit the restart button after his opening win was 'deleted', as he defeated Belgium's Julien Carraggi. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also maintained their form and reached the men's doubles quarterfinals. A late goal from Harmanpreet Singh saw India hold Argentina to a 1-1 draw in their Pool B men's hockey match.
Here's how India performed on Day 3- Shooting
- Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh came third in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification round, securing a berth in the bronze medal match.
- Rhythm Sangwan-Arjun Cheema finished in 10th spot in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification round, missing out on a spot in the medal matches.
- Ramita Jindal comes seventh in the women's 10m air rifle final.
- Arjun Babuta fourth in men's 10m air rifle final. - Prithviraj Tondaiman ends Day 1 of men's trap qualification ranked 30th.
Archery
- India (Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Pravin Jadhav) lose 5-1 to Turkey in the men's team quarterfinals.
Table Tennis
- Manika Batra defeats France's Prithika Pavade 3-0, reaches pre-quarters.
Hockey
- India hold Argentina to 1-1 draw in men's pool match.
Badminton
- Lakshya Sen defeats Belgium's Julien Carraggi 21-19 21-14.
- Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy seal berth in the men's doubles quarter-finals.
- Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto crash to 11-21 12-21 defeat in second women's doubles group stage match.
30 July/ Day 4
July 31, 2024: Hindustan Times
Manu Bhakar and Sarabjot Singh clinched the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze on Tuesday. Bhaker had earlier won women's 10m air pistol bronze at the same venue.
Day 4 witnessed Indian shooter Manu Bhaker scripting history by becoming the first Indian woman to win multiple Olympic medals in a single edition. Bhaker, who won bronze in 10 air pistol women's singles event, teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to bring another bronze medal for India in 10m air pistol mixed team event. The Indian pair also became the first to win a medal for India in a team event at the Olympics.
Indian hockey team also continued their fine run in the tournament with a sensational 2-0 win over Ireland in the Pool B match. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh once again led the team from front and scored a brace as India put one of their foot in the quarterfinal.
Star India shuttlers pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty registered a dominant win over Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Adrianto 21-13, 21-13. They become the first Indian pair to reach the quarterfinal in men's doubles event at the Olympics. The Indian boxers also had a forgettable day in Paris as Amit Panghal, Jaismine Lamboria, and Preeti Pawar suffered defeats in their respective bouts.
Here's how India performed on Day 4
Shooting
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh clinched a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. They became the first Indian pair to win a medal in a team shooting event at theOlympics.
Prithviraj Tondaiman was knocked out from men's trap shooting after finishing 21st among 30 marksmen.
Rowing
India's Balraj Panwar finished fifth in his quarterfinals heat race of the men's single sculls event.
Archery
Ankita Bhakat suffered a 4-6 loss against Poland's Wioleta Myszor in women's individual 1/32
Bhajan Kaur registered twin victories to advance to the women's individual pre-quarterfinals. Bhajan beats Indonesia's Syifa Nurafifah Kamal 7-3 in women's individual 1/32, and Poland's Wioleta Myszor 6-0 in women's individual 1/16.
Dhiraj Bommadevara beat Czech Republic's Adam Li 7-1 in men's individual 1/32; later she goes down 5-6 against Canada's Eric Peters in men's individual 1/16
Hockey
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace as India outclassed Ireland in a 2-0 win in a Pool B match.
Badminton
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Adrianto 21-13, 21-13. The Indian pair register a place in the quarterfinal.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered a 15-21, 10-21 loss against Australia's Syifa Nurafifah Kamal
Boxing
Amit Panghal lost his bout 1-4 against Zambia's Patrick Chinyemba in men's 51kg round of 16
A unanimous decision loss for Jaismine Lamboria against Philippines' Nesthy Petecio in women's 57kg round of 32 bout
Preeti Pawar suffered a 2-3 split decision loss against Colombia's Yeni Marcela Arias in the women's 54kg Round of 16 bout
31 July/ Day 5
On Day 5, there was plenty of action. We recap everything in our update below, while you can relive all the action as it happened on our live blog below the following update:
COMPLETED
Boxing - Lovlina Borgohain beat Sunniva Hofstad of Norway in the women's 75kg round of 16 and Nishant Dev beat Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Tenorio in the men's 71kg round of 16
Shooting: Swapnil Kusale has made it to the final of the men's 50m rifle 3 position event. He finished seventh in the qualification, which was enough as top eight shooters make it. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar finished 11th in the qualification.
Shooting: Shreyasi Singh and Rajeshwari Kumari finish 23rd and 22nd action in day 2 of the women's trap qualification.
Table tennis: Sreeja Akula beat Singapore's Zeng Jian in the women's singles round-of-32. She then lost to China's world no.1 Sun Yingsha in the next round
Table tennis: Manika Batra lost 4-1 to Miu Hirano
Badminton: PV Sindhu has beaten Kristin Kuuba 21-5, 21-10 in women's singles group stage match. She qualifies for the round of 16, where she will face China's He Bingjiao.
Badminton: Lakshya Sen is through to the men's singles round of 16 after beating Jonatan Christie 21-18, 21-12.
Badminton: HS Prannoy beat Duc Phat Le in the men's singles group stage and will face Lakshya in the round of 16.
1 Aug/ Day 6
Paris 2024 Olympics highlights, Day 6: Swapnil Kusale wins bronze; Sindhu crashes out
Badminton
Sindhu loses to He Bing Jiao
Lakshya beats Prannoy in men’s singles round of 16
Satwik/Chirag lose in Men’s doubles quarterfinal
Shooting
Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra fail to qualify for final
Hockey
India go down to Belgium in Group Stage!
Athletics
Priyanka finishes 41st in women's 20km race walk
Boxing
Nikhat Zareen bows out in Women’s 50kg round of 16!
Archery
Pravin Jadhav loses in men’s 1/32 elimination
Shooting
Men’s 50m rifle 3P - Swapnil Kusale wins bronze!
Athletics
Men’s 20km race walk - Vikash finishes 30th, Paramjeet 37th
2 Aug/ Day 7
August 3, 2024: Hindustan Times
Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally: India's medal tally stands at three, which includes two bronze for Manu Bhaker and a bronze for Swapnil Kusale.
India saw plenty of action on Day 7 of the ongoing Paris Olympics. India's medal tally stands at three, with Manu Bhaker clinching two bronze and Swapnil Kusale bagging another. So on Day 7, Bhaker kept her run for another medal intact, as she qualified for the women's 25m pistol final. Meanwhile, Esha Singh finished 18th and was knocked out. In badminton, Lakshya Sen led India's lone charge, as he progressed to the men's singles semi-final.
In judo, India had disappointment as Tulika Maan lost her women's +75kg Round of 32 bout. The Indian archers had a mixed day as the mixed team (consisting of Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara) beat Indonesia in the 1/8 elimination and then Spain in quarterfinals. But then, they lost to South Korea in the semi-final, followed by another defeat to USA in the bronze medal match. Meanwhile, the men's hockey bounced back to winning ways, sealing a 3-2 win vs Australia in their final pool match.
In rowing, Balraj Panwar finished in 23rd position out of 33 athletes in men's singles sculls. In athletics, Parul Chaudhary came 14th in the women's 5000m Heat 2, and got knocked out. Even Ankita got knocked out from the same event. Meanwhile, Tajinderpal Singh Toor came 15th in men's shot put qualification and got knocked out. There was also some sailing.
Results from Paris Olympics 2024 Day 7-
Badminton
Lakshya Sen beats Chou Tien Chen 19-21, 21-15, 21-12; through to men's singles semifinal
Shooting
Manu Bhaker through to women's 25m pistol final, Esha Singh finishes 18th and is knocked out. Anantjeet Singh 26th after Day 2 of men's skeet qualification
Judo
Tulika Maan loses in women's +75kg Round of 32 match
Archery
India (Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara) beat Indonesia 5-1 in mixed team 1/8 elimination and then beat Spain 5-3 in quarterfinals
India (Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara) lose to South Korea 6-2 in semi-final
India (Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara) lose to USA 6-2 in bronze medal match
Hockey
India beat Australia 3-2 in final pool match
Rowing '
Balraj Panwar finishes 23rd out of 33 rowers, out in men's singles sculls
Athletics
Parul Chaudhary finishes 14th in women's 5000m Heat 2 with season-best 15:10.68s, knocked out
Ankita finishes 20th in women's 5000m Heat 1 with 16:19.38s, knocked out
Tajinderpal Singh Toor finishes 15th in men's shot put qualification with throw of 18.05m, knocked out
Sailing
Vishnu Saravanan finishes 20th and 19th in 3rd and 4th races in men's dinghy, 22nd with 83 points after first four races
Nethra Kumanan placed 11th with 48 points after first 3 races in women's dinghy, finishes 15th and 27th in Race 2 and Race 3
3 Aug/ Day 8
August 4, 2024: Hindustan Times
On Day 8, the Indian contingent took part in shooting, archery, boxing and sailing.
Day 8 of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 saw plenty of action but Indian fans were left disappointed as Manu Bhaker finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol final. At one point, Bhaker was in second place, but slipped to fourth and missed out on a hat-trick of Paris 2024 medals. Speaking after her final, Bhaker said, "I got like really nervous about it, but again, I was trying my best to keep calm and to just try to do my best. But that was not enough."
"It (Olympics) turned out to be very good for me, but well, there's always a next time so I'm already looking forward to the next one (in LA). I'm glad that I got two medals, but right now, I'm not very... well, fourth place is not a very good place," she added.
Meanwhile, Anant Jeet Singh Naruka also faltered in the men's skeet qualification, finishing 24th and failing to qualify. In women's skeet qualification, Maheshwari Chauhan came 8th on Day 2 and Raiza Dhillon was 25th.
There was also archery action on Day 8, as Deepika Kumari began with a 1/8 elimination round win and entered the quarter-finals. But then in the quarters, she lost 4-6 to South Korea's Nam Suhyeon in the women's individual category. Meanwhile, Bhajan Kaur crashed out after a defeat in the 1/8 elimination round.
Ace boxer Nishant Dev's campaign also came to an end, as he lost 1-4 to Mexican boxer Marco Verde. There was also plenty of sailing action as Nethra Kumanan finished 24th after six races in the women's dinghy category. Meanwhile, Vishnu Saravanan came 23rd after six races in men's dinghy.
Paris Olympics 2024 Day 8 results:
Shooting
Manu Bhaker finishes fourth in women's 25m pistol final
Anant Jeet Singh Naruka finishes 24th in men's skeet qualification, fails to reach finals
Maheshwari Chauhan 8th, Raiza Dhillon 25th in after Day 2 of women's skeet qualification
Archery
Deepika Kumari wins 1/8 elimination women's individual archery round, into quarter-finals
Deepika Kumar loses 4-6 to South Korea's Nam Suhyeon in women's individual archery quarterfinal
Bhajan Kaur loses in 1/8 elimination round
Boxing
Nishant Dev loses men's 71kg quarterfinal to Marco Verde 4-1
Sailing
Nethra Kumanan 24th after six races in women's dinghy
Vishnu Saravanan 23rd after six races in men's dinghy
6 Aug/ Day 11
From javelin world champion Neeraj Chopra to wrestler Vinesh Phogat, here's how Team India performed on Day 11 of the Paris Olympics 2024.
India enjoyed a terrific Tuesday with the power-packed performances of several household names in the ongoing edition of the Paris Games 2024. While javelin world champion Neeraj Chopra announced himself at the grandest stage with a massive throw, wrestler Vinesh Phogat punched above her weight to seal a historic medal finish for India on Day 11 at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Defending champion Neeraj fired his season's best effort of 89.34m in his very first attempt in the qualification of the men's javelin event at the Paris Games. Seasoned wrestler Phogat became the first Indian woman grappler to enter the Olympic finals. Vinesh and her tenacity became the talk of the town as the Indian wrestler made it to the final by defeating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semifinals.
Vinesh's day-long campaign started with a stunning win over defending Olympic and world champion Yui Susaki. She defeated the world champion 3-2 to end the unbeaten 82-fight run of the modern-day legend. The 29-year-old then upstaged world number 7 Ukrainian Ostava Livach in the quarter-finals. Vinesh will fight for the gold medal against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt at the Paris Games.
However, India missed a golden chance to compete in the hockey final for the first time in 44 years.
Harmanpreet Singh-led Team India lost 2-3 to Germany in the semi-final clash of the hockey tournament at the Paris Games. India will meet Spain in the bronze medal match of the Summer Games.
RESULTS OF PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 DAY 11 -
Wrestling
Vinesh Phogat beats Yui Susaki in women's 50kg pre-quarterfinal
Vinesh Phogat beats Oksana Livach in women's 50kg quarterfinal
Vinesh Phogat beats Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in women's 50kg semifinal. She is guaranteed at least silver medal
Hockey
India lose 2-3 to Germany in men's hockey semi-final, face Spain in bronze medal match
Table Tennis
India lose 0-3 to China in men's team pre-quarterfinal
Athletics
Kishore Jena finishes in ninth position in his men's javelin throw qualification
Kiran Pahal finishes sixth and last in women's 400m repechage heat 1, fails to qualify for semi-finals
Neeraj Chopra through to men's javelin final with throw of 89.34m
7 Aug/ Day 12
August 8, 2024: Hindustan Times
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu missed out on a Paris Olympics 2024 medal, as she came fourth in her event.
Indian fans were left extremely disappointed on Day 12 of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. Mirabai Chanu failed to add to India's medal tally as she narrowly missed out on a bronze. Mirabai bagged a best lift of 88kg in snatch, which put her in contention for bronze. But she managed only a best lift of 111kg ahead of the clean and jerk rounds, registering a total of 199kg. She finished in fourth position, missing out on a historic second Olympic medal.
Meanwhile in wrestling, Vinesh Phogat got disqualified from the women's 50kg gold medal match, as she failed to make the weight on the morning of the bout. She was reportedly found to be 100gm overweight. Phogat also retired a day after disqualification. Taking to X, she wrote, "Wrestling won match against me, I lost... Your dreams and my courage are shattered. I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be indebted to all of you. Sorry".
Indi's disappointment in wrestling wasn't just restricted to Vinesh as Antim Panghal lost her women's 53kg Round of 16 bout. In table tennis, India, consisting of Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra and Archana Ghosh, lost 1-3 to Germany in the women's team table tennis quarter-final.
In athletics, there was plenty of action for India as Avinash Sable came 11th in the men's 3000m steeplechase final, with a time of 8:14:18s. Meanwhile, Jyothi Yarraji came seventh in the women's 100m hurdles heats.
RESULTS ON PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 DAY 12-
Weightlifting:
Mirabai Chanu finishes 4th in women's 49kg weightlifting with total lift of 199kg
Wrestling:
Vinesh Phogat disqualified from women's 50kg gold medal match after failing to make weight
Antim Panghal loses to Zeynep Yetgil 10-0 in women's 53kg round of 16
Table tennis:
India (Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra and Archana Girish Kamath) lose 1-3 to Germany in women's team quarterfinal
Athletics:
Sarvesh Kushare finishes 25th men's high jump qualification
Jyothi Yarraji finishes seventh in women's 100m hurdles heats
Suraj Panwar and Priyanka Goswami fail to finish in mixed team marathon race walk relay event
Annu Rani finishes 15th with best throw of 55.81m, fails to qualify for final
Avinash Sable finishes 11th in men's 3000m steeplechase final with time of 8:14.18s
8 Aug/ Day 13
Neeraj Chopra's silver and the men's hockey team's bronze saw India's Paris Olympics 2024 medal tally increase to five.
Day 13 saw India increase its medal tally as fans celebrated the success of Neeraj Chopra and Indian men's hockey team. He managed 1.87m more than what he got at the Tokyo Olympics but it wasn't enough as he got silver. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem scripted history with a record throw of 92.97m and also crossed the 90m mark again with his final throw to get gold. He also became the first individual gold medalist from Pakistan at the Olympics.
Speaking after Neeraj's silver, his father said, "Everyone has their day. Today was Pakistan's day. But we have won silver, and it is a proud thing for us. I think his groin injury had a part in his performance. He has won silver for the country. We are happy and proud. All the youths will get inspired by him."
Meanwhile, Neeraj's mother said, "We are very happy. For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold is also like our son. He was injured, so we are happy with his performance. I will cook his favourite food."
Meanwhile, the men's hockey team defeated Spain 2-1 to win bronze in Paris, and it was a perfect fairytale career end for PR Sreejesh. In wrestling, Aman Sehrawat cruised into the semis, but then lost to Japan's Rei Higuchi and will now fight for bronze. Meanwhile, Anshu Malik lost her women's 57kg round of 16 bout and it has been confirmed that she will now fight for bronze through repechage.
Results-
Hockey:
India beat Spain 2-1, win men's bronze medal
Athletics
Jyothi Yarraji came 4th in women's 100m hurdles repechage round, out of semis contention
Neeraj Chopra wins silver in men's javelin final with best throw of 89.45m
Wrestling
Aman Sehrawat wins men's 57kg freestyle Round of 16 and quarterfinal bouts by technical superiority
Aman Sehrawat loses men's 57kg freestyle semi-final to Rei Higuchi, to fight for bronze
Anshu Malik loses 2-7 to USA's Helen Maroulis in women's 57kg round of 16, misses out on repechage
9 Aug/ Day 14
Aug 10, 2024: The Times of India
Paris Olympics 2024: Aman Sehrawat became the seventh Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal.
Day 14 of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 saw Aman Sehrawat increase India's medal tally from five to six. The wrestler won bronze in the men's 57kg freestyle bronze medal playoff, becoming the first wrestler to win a medal for India in Paris 2024 and also the youngest Indian to do so. He also became the seventh Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal, joining a legendary list which consists of KD Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.
Speaking to ANI after his bronze win, Aman said, "I am very happy and I still can't believe that I have won a medal for the country at the Olympics... I was hoping for the gold but I am happy with bronze as well."
"It was a speechless moment when I stood on the podium... from today, my next target will be to prepare for the 2028 Olympics and 2026 Asian Games," he added.
Meanwhile, legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra hailed the grappler. Taking to X, he wrote, "Congratulations Aman ! Your determination on the mat, your focus, and the way you carry yourself with humility and grace--these are the qualities that make a true champion. Securing bronze in Paris is a huge achievement, but more than that, it's a reflection of your relentless pursuit of excellence. I'm incredibly proud of you, and I know you've made the entire nation proud too. Keep shining, champ."
Meanwhile in athletics, the men's and women's relay teams got knocked out of their 4x400m heats. The men's relay team consisted of Muhammad Anas, Muhammad Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv and Jacob. While, the women's relay team had Rupal Chaudhary, MR Poovamma, Jyothika Sri and Subha Venkaresan. Also in golf, Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar finished round 3 in T40 and T42 respectively.
Results for Paris Olympics 2024 Day 14-
Athletics
Women's 4x400m relay round 1: India come eighth in heat, knocked out
Men's 4x400m relay round 1: India men's team come fifth with 3:00:58 season best time in Heat 2, knocked out
Wrestling
Aman Sehrawat wins men's 57kg freestyle bronze
10 Aug/ Day 15
Neelav Chakravarti, Rishabh Guptam, August 11, 2024: ’’Hindustan Times
Paris Olympics 2024, Day 15 Highlights: CAS' decision on Vinesh Phogat was been deferred, with the body now expected to announce its verdict on August 13
Paris Olympics 2024, Day 15 Live Updates: Vinesh Phogat's wait for CAS' verdict continues, as the decision has been deferred till August 11.
Paris Olympics 2024, Day 15 Highlights: India's Day 15 campaign has begun, with the spotlight mainly on golf and wrestling. Golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar ended their campaigns in women's golf, with Aditi, who stood at a formidable 4th spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, failing to produce her best. The golfer finished with the final score of +2, while Diksha Dagar ended at +13 to finish significantly below the top-10.
In wrestling, India's Reetika Hooda faced a quarterfinal defeat to Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan in a close bout. While the match ended in a 1-1 tie, Kyzy advanced to the semi-finals as she took the last point. The wrestler was eventually knocked out after Kyzy faced a narrow 6-8 loss in her semi-final bout to USA's Kennedy Alexis Blades.
While CAS stated that they will announce their verdict on Vinesh Phogat's appeal for a joint-silver medal by 9:30 PM IST, it was later confirmed that the decision has been further deferred to August 13. The Indian grappler was disqualified ahead of the gold medal bout, due to being 100gm overweight than the eligible requirement.
On Day 14, India's medal tally increased from five to six as Aman Sehrawat clinched bronze in the men's 57kg freestyle wrestling category. The 21-year-old became the first wrestler from India to win a medal at Paris 2024, and also the youngest India grappler to ever do so. Becoming the seventh wrestler from India to get an Olympic medal, he joined an illustrious list, containing KD Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.
Meanwhile in athletics, the men's and women's 4x400m relay teams got knocked out, as they faltered in their respective heats. In golf, Aditi and Diksha ended round 3 in T40 and T42 respectively.
RESULTS FOR PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 DAY 15-
Wrestling
- Reetika loses 1-1 (winner decided via last point scored) in women's 76kg quarter-finals; knocked out after her QF opponent, Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan), loses her semi-final bout
Golf
- Aditi Ashok finishes with final score of +2, while Diksha Dagar completes her campaign with +13. Both finish outside medal positions.
Key pointers for Paris Olympics 2024 Day 15-
- Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar finish their campaign outside medal places
- Reetika loses in women's freestyle 76kg quarter-finals, medal hopes on potential repechage
- CAS' decision on Vinesh Phogat's appeal for a joint-silver deferred
- India's current medal tally stands at 6
The complete, detailed Indian results
Archery
25 July
BIJU.BABUCYRIAC , July 25, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : There’s hope around Indian archers in Paris and Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara ensured that they are on the right track. The debutants powered the Indian women’s and men’s teams to the quarterfinals on the opening day of the archery competition.
The 26-year-old Ankita, who had won a bronze medal in mixed team event at the Hangzhou Asiad, was in the zone as she tallied a superb 666 at the Esplanade des Invalides, the garden venue located in the heart of the city. The Kolkata girl, who came up the ranks impressing at the junior level, shot 30 arrows in the 10s and added another 9 in the X circle to get the 11th spot and set India off to a great start. Her compatriots Bhajan Kaur (22nd spot) and Deepika Kumari (23) also tried their best as Team India ended fourth with a score of 1983.
South Korea led the charts with a new Olympic record score of 2046 points. Lim Si-Hyeon powered the Koreans setting a new world record score of 694. The women’s team was under pressure, and they have begun in style after failing to make the last two editions. The last time India was part of the women’s team event was in London in 2012, when they crashed out in the round of 16.
On Thursday, Bhajan tallied 659 and Deepika 658 as India stormed into the quarterfinals in what was one of best performances by the women’s team in the Olympics. India have got a bye in the pre-quarters and will take on the winner of the last-16 match between France and Netherlands.
Army Sports Institute trainee Bommadevara came up with a high of 681 points (39-10s, 14-x) to finish fourth in the individual rankings. Seasoned campaigner Tarundeep Rai ended 14th with 674 (31, 9) while Pravin Ramesh Jadhav ended 39th with a score of 658 (25, 8). Together they put India in the third spot in the team rankings with a total of 2013 points behind Korea (2049) and France (2025). Ankita and Dhiraj also booked their slots in the mixed team event. In the mixed, India ended the ranking round in sixth spot.
28 July
Biju BabuCyriac , July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Even their favourite music couldn’t soothe the nerves of Indian archers as the women’s team cracked under pressure when it mattered the most, floundering against Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the team event at the Esplanade des Invalides on Sunday.
The Indian team ended up with a few sixes and an unbelievable stray shot, that fetched just four points, by top archer Ankita Bhakat as they went down 0-6 (51-52, 49-54 & 48-53) at the scenic venue that faces the majestic Hotel des Invalides.
The spectators were taking comfort from the mist sprayers to beat the heat, but the weather, hovering in the mid 20s, couldn’t have been an excuse for the hardworking Indians. “What a horrible start!” shouted a journalist from the media tribune, as Ankita opened with a seven.
Bhajan Kaur followed with an 8 before Deepika Kumari rounded up a poor start with a 7. Though the Indians came back strong in the second half of the set with scores of 9, 9 & 8, Netherlands bagged the first set and took a two-point lead edging India 52-51. The Indian trio showed signs of a fightback hitting two 10s and an 8 but Ankita spoiled the fine comeback with a poor arrow that fetched just six points. Bhajan tried to undo the damage with a 10 but Deepika, who was below-par in the ranking rounds, gifted it to Netherlands by firing another six.
Netherlands easily won the set 54-49 and doubled their lead to 4-0. It was now do-or-die for the Indians. Ankita opened with a disastrous four but Bhajan, the only Indian to get two 10s, fired another 10 but Deepika again failed to hit the inner-ring. The writing was now on the wall as Indians ended with scores of 8,8 & 10. Netherlands, who were never under any pressure, eased to a 58-53 win in the third set and triggered the celebrations as the Indian team looked shell shocked.
“A four-point shot is unheard of even in practice. Even she (Ankita) doesn’t know how it went. I think she would have relaxed a bit and the wind would have taken it further away,” India coach Purnima Mahato told TOI.
“I don’t think it was nerves as the girls were doing very well at the training ground and it’s tough to figure out what went wrong.”
29 July
Biju BabuCyriac, July 30, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : For the second straight day, Indian archers failed to deliver on the big stage as the men’s team lost in the quarterfinals of the team event. The Indians, who were seeded third, lost 2-6 to Turkiye at the archery grounds at Invalides here. The performance was just a shade better than the one by the women, who lost 0-6 to the Netherlands. None of the team members — Dhiraj Bommadevara, Pravin Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai — were at their best. The wind only added to their discomfort.
The Indians were the verge of an early exit when they trailed 0-2 after two sets. Despite managing a score of 55, their highest in the final, Turkiye were almost through in straight sets but Berkim Tumer’s shot of 7 gave the Indians another chance.
Abduallah Yildirmis shot a 10 with the third arrow but after an initial wrong call — when the Turkish team started celebrating — the judges corrected the score, which saw India take the third set 55-54 and push the match into the fourth set. In the fourth, Rai had two shots of nine and Jadhav did even better with two 10s, but Dhiraj’s second shot of seven, after a nine in the first, gave India a score of only 54.
The Turkish team responded to the challenge in style as they found their best form. It was all 10s except for two nines and the final score of 58-54 saw them cruise into the semifinals where they lost to France 4-5. But they then bounced back to beat China 6-2 to bag the bronze. Favourites South Korea quelled the challenge from hosts France to bag the gold with a 5-1 win in the final.
“The conditions were a little difficult because of the wind. But then the conditions are the same for both the teams. In the end, we couldn’t do well. Specifically, I couldn’t do well. It was heartbreaking but it’s not all over yet and we will fight till the end,” Dhiraj told reporters, summing up the 53-57, 52-55, 55-54, 54-58 defeat.
Veteran Tarundeep said: “It’s not only about pressure though I would admit that we also had a bit of pressure. We had the our plans ready to produce our best shots but it didn’t work. We only executed 80 per cent of our plans. Our main mistake was that we didn’t do well in the first set (53-57).”
30 July
Archiman Bhaduri, July 31, 2024: The Times of India
She is the youngest of the lot, but teenager Bhajan Kaur has emerged as the most consistent Indian women recurve archer in this Olympics.
The 18-year-old made the prequarterfinals winning back-toback elimination round matches at the Esplanade des Invalides in Paris.
However, her teammate Ankita Bhakat bowed out in the first round of the elimination stage going down to Poland’s Wioleta Myszor 4-6 minutes before Kaur began her individual campaign.
Incidentally Kaur was supposed to face Bhakat in round of 16, but she ran into Bhakat-slayer Myszor whom she blanked out 6-0 (28-23, 29-26, 28-22).
Earlier she overcame Indonesia’s Syifa Nurafifah Kamal in the round of 32-clash in a five-set contest 7-3 (27-27, 27-29, 29-27, 27-25, 28-25).
Bhajan, who qualified 22nd in the ranking round and put up a good show in the team event despite India making an exit, took some time to warm up as she lost the second set (27-29) after the first set was tied (27-27). However, once she got into the groove, she hit impressive scores of 29, 27 and 28 in the next three rounds to seal the victory.
However, it was heartbreak once again for Bhakat, who fizzled out despite enjoying a 4-2 initial lead against Myszor. The Kolkata-born archer’s campaign is going downhill after an impressive qualification at 11th spot with a score of 666. She was a bundle of nerves in the team event and on Tuesday lost the final two sets rather tamely to bow out 4-6 (26-27, 29-26, 28-27, 27-29, 27-28).
Bommadevara cruises
Late on Tuesday, Olympic debutant Dhiraj Bommadevara had a smooth ride in the men’s first elimination round, getting past Czech Republic’s lone male archer Adam Li 7-1 (29-29, 29-26, 29-28, 28-26). The Armyman showed great consistency, hitting a score of 29 in three of the four sets to keep his World ranking 109 opposition under pressure. Bommadevara did not hit below nine in any of his 12 arrows with seven 10s in the fourset match.
Earlier, after conceding defeat in the men’s archery team event on Monday, Bommadevara had said that he needs to work more on his game. The team, comprising Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav, bowed out in the quarterfinals after a 2-6 loss.
“I need to work more on my game. I want to thank my teammates for believing in me. I will learn from these situations and try not to repeat my mistakes and get back stronger. The main thing is to focus on myself rather than other situations. The second thing is to make decisions about the wind. I didn’t believe in my decisions on Monday,” Bommadevara said.
2 Aug
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, August 3, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The winds of luck didn’t blow in the right direction during crucial moments for the archers as India’s mixed team of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat endured two crushing defeats against South Korea and USA in the semifinal and bronze medal matches respectively. They were left to settle for fourth place, a first for Indian archery, at Invalides here on Friday.
It was so near, yet so far for the Indian team as some poor shots at crucial junctures sealed their fate in the battle for the bronze. Three back-to-back 10s were not enough to undo the damage in- flicted by the first arrow from Ankita, that fetched only 7 points. USA were assured of winning the first set as they rattled up 38 points. With just 17 points from the first two, it was over.
India, who were seeded fifth, were off to an identical start in the second with another seven from Ankita. This time they managed a below par total of 35 and USA soon pocketed a 4-0 lead winning the second 37-35.
With their backs to the wall, the Indians were back on the fir- ing line for the third set but this time with a much improved show to grab 38 points (10, 9, 9, 10) as the American team of Casey Kaufhold and Brady Ellison, the third seeds, buckled under pressure and lost the set 38-34. They still had to take the fourth set while USA required just one more point to reach the winning score of 5.
Ankita fired two more 8s and Dhiraj a 9 and 10 but the Americans opened with a 10 and hit three more 9s for a 37-35 win. Dhiraj put the narrow miss down to the “minor details”. “In both the matches we went in with the same mindset,” he said. “We came in with inputs from our seniors that the Olympics is going to be a different ball game from World Cups. We were prepared but when we started, we realized how different it is.”
“It is pretty difficult to accept that we lost, but we are taking solace that we finished fourth which we have not achieved ever before. We are improving in every Olympics. We are lacking in minor details,” said the debutant.
Korea survive India challenge
The semifinal between India and Korea saw Ankita and Dhiraj give the favourites a mighty scare before going down in four sets 2-6. Sihyeon Lim and Woojin Kim were off to a wobbly start as they shot an 8 and 9. India responded through Ankita’s 9 and Dhiraj 10.
He then helped India take a shock lead, firing another 10 with India’s fourth arrow as Korea trailed 2-0 after losing the first set 36-38. The third set saw the Koreans maintain the form with two 10s and two 9s even as India failed to respond adequately.
3 Aug
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, August 4, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : If two bad rounds haunted Manu Bhaker in the morning in Chateauroux, it was a case of two bad shots for Deepika Kumari in archery. The 30-year-old, competing at her fourth consecutive Olympics, was looking to put all past disappointments to rest as she took on South Korea’s 19-year-old Suhyeon Nam in the quarterfinals of the individual recurve archery.
Deepika was close, fighting the prodigy tooth and nail, but just when it mattered, the inner-circle of the board which measures 12.2 cm eluded her. She lost to the eventual silver medallist 4-6 and her dreams of a first Olympic medal were shattered, maybe for one last time.
A 33rd place in London 2012, ninth at Rio Games, eighth in Tokyo and now another disappointment as she ended seventh. It could have easily been a top4 finish, even a historic medal could just be in the offing, but then the pressure of the situation got the better of her. “Yes, this was my best chance so far (to win an Olympics medal). But I fired two bad shots (one 6 pointer and a 7). I felt like I gifted her the match and I don’t know why I always lose at the Olympics,” she told reporters trying her best to hide the disappointment at the Invalides here. “I’ll continue to work hard and I have not set any timelines.”
Against the young Korean, who was making her debut, the vastly experienced Deepika took the first set with three arrows (9, 10, 9) that hovered around the inner circle. Suheyon fired two 8s after starting with a 10 as Deepika raised the expectations of the Indian fans. But the second set was a different story. The Korean opened with a 9 and Deepika also found a 10.
The Korean then fired a 10 and Deepika, who was racing against the clock, crashed down with a six-point shot. That was a big cushion for the Korean, who claimed the second set after taking her tally to an unbeatable 28. Deepika was back in form in the third set firing two 10s to take the lead.
The Korean finished with a tally of 28 points and the Indian found a perfect 10 to win the set 29-28 and take a 4-2 lead. From then on, Deepika found it difficult to handle pressure. She hit two 10s with her last six arrows while the Korean had four. After surrendering her advantage with another bad shot that got her just 7 points, in the fourth, Deepika couldn’t hit the inner circle.
The Korean showed great composure to score 19 points with her first two shots. Deepika responded with 9s that saw her trail 18-19. Suheyon showed great composure and capped her comeback with another 10 with her last shot and began the celebrations as it took the match beyond Deepika’s reach.
Athletics
2 Aug
August 3, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s top runners Parul Chaudhary and Ankita Dhyani disappointed as they crashed out in the heats in women’s 5000m race as the athletics action began on Friday. In Heat 2, Parul clocked her season’s best time of 15:10.68s that got her the 14th place. Earlier, Ankita Dhyani brought up the rear, finishing 20th in Heat 1.
Dhyani clocked 16:19.38, way below her personal best of 15:28.08s. A repeat of that time would have given her a top-13 finish. The first 8 in each of the two heats advanced to the final. Topping the list of qualifiers were Kenyan Faith Kipyegon (Heat 1), who clocked 14:57.56s, while her compatriot Beatric Chebet took the top spot in Heat 2 with a time of 15:00.73s. TNN
5 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s Avinash Sable lived up to his reputation as he advanced to the final in the men’s 3000m steeplechase here on Monday. The Indian clocked 8:15.43s to finish fifth in heat 2 and make the cut for the final. The top five from each of the three heats will compete in the final scheduled on Thursday (IST).
Sable, who had crashed out in the first round at the Tokyo Games, got his tactics right as he kept his place in the leading pack. To begin with the Army man, with a personal best (PB) timing of 8:09.91s, took an early lead before Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot, bronze winner at the World Championships last year, took charge. Sable slipped to fourth with three laps to go. He then pushed his way to second before falling back after the bell.
Mohamed Tindouft of Morocco won the heat 2 clocking a PB of 8:10.62s.
Earlier, hot favourite Soufiane El Bakkali, also from Morocco, led the list of qualifiers from heat 1 winning the first round in a slow race that he won in 8:17.9s.
7 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 8, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The women’s 100m hurdles saw national record holder Jyothi Yarraji finish seventh in Heat 4 clocking 13.16 seconds in the Olympics at the Stade de France here. A repeat of her season’s best time of 12.78s would have won her the third place and a berth in the semifinals. “It’s a poor time by Jyothi on the fast Mondo track at the Stade de France,” a noted coach told TOI. Olympic record holder Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.42s) of Puerto Rico and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.49) were on top after the preliminary round.
The top 3 in each of the five heats and the next three fastest advanced to the semifinals. All the other others, except those who did not start, did not finish and disqualified, will move to the repechage round. Jyothi will have a shot at the semifinal if she finishes top two in her race.
Annu Rani came up with a disappointing show in women’s javelin throw after Neeraj Chopra’s fine show on Monday. The Indian was never in the hunt for a place in the final after she opened with an effort of 55.81m. She then dipped to 53.22 and improved slightly to 53.55 as she finished second last in Group A and overall 29th out of 32 competitors.
In men’s high jump, national champion Sarvesh Anil Kusare, competing alongside Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, managed a best height of only 2.15 to finish 25th. With no one clearing the stiff qualification mark of 2.29m, the last of the qualifying height came at 2.24m. Joint Olympic champion Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar led the finalists with a leap of 2.27m.
The Indian team comprising Priyanka Goswami and Suraj Panwar didn’t finish the race in the marathon race walk mixed relay, a new event on the athletics programme. Panwar, who began the race, was pulled up for incorrect technique — bent knee and loss of contact — in the first leg. Then Priyanka also got warned for loss of contact in the second leg. Panwar came up with an error-free performance in the third leg before Priyanka was pulled up twice in the fourth and last leg and India ended with a ‘did not finish’ mark.
India’s best placing was 16th in the first leg before dropping down to 21st and 24th in the second and third.
Chitravel, Abdulla crash out
In the men’s triple jump, Praveen Chitravel and Abdullah Abubacker crashed out in the preliminary round. Abuduallah, with an SB of 17m, had a best of 16.49m that put him in the 21st spot. Chitravel, with an SB of 17.12m, managed a best of only 16.25m to finish 27th in the field of 32.
Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo topped the two groups with a leap of 17.44m. Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez bagged the 12th spot in the final with a best of 16.79m edging France’s Jean-Marc Pontvianne on count back.
5 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s Avinash Sable lived up to his reputation as he advanced to the final in the men’s 3000m steeplechase here on Monday. The Indian clocked 8:15.43s to finish fifth in heat 2 and make the cut for the final. The top five from each of the three heats will compete in the final scheduled on Thursday (IST).
Sable, who had crashed out in the first round at the Tokyo Games, got his tactics right as he kept his place in the leading pack. To begin with the Army man, with a personal best (PB) timing of 8:09.91s, took an early lead before Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot, bronze winner at the World Championships last year, took charge. Sable slipped to fourth with three laps to go. He then pushed his way to second before falling back after the bell.
Mohamed Tindouft of Morocco won the heat 2 clocking a PB of 8:10.62s. Earlier, hot favourite Soufiane El Bakkali, also from Morocco, led the list of qualifiers from heat 1 winning the first round in a slow race that he won in 8:17.9s.
7 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 7, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The women’s 100m hurdles saw national record holder Jyothi Yarraji finish seventh in Heat 4 clocking 13.16 seconds in the Olympics at the Stade de France here. A repeat of her season’s best time of 12.78s would have won her the third place and a berth in the semifinals. “It’s a poor time by Jyothi on the fast Mondo track at the Stade de France,” a noted coach told TOI.
Olympic record holder Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.42s) of Puerto Rico and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.49) were on top after the preliminary round.
The top 3 in each of the five heats and the next three fastest advanced to the semifinals. All the other others, except those who did not start, did not finish and disqualified, will move to the repechage round. Jyothi will have a shot at the semifinal if she finishes top two in her race.
Annu Rani came up with a disappointing show in women’s javelin throw after Neeraj Chopra’s fine show on Monday. The Indian was never in the hunt for a place in the final after she opened with an effort of 55.81m. She then dipped to 53.22 and improved slightly to 53.55 as she finished second last in Group A and overall 29th out of 32 competitors.
In men’s high jump, national champion Sarvesh Anil Kusare, competing alongside Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, managed a best height of only 2.15 to finish 25th. With no one clearing the stiff qualification mark of 2.29m, the last of the qualifying height came at 2.24m. Joint Olympic champion Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar led the finalists with a leap of 2.27m.
The Indian team comprising Priyanka Goswami and Suraj Panwar didn’t finish the race in the marathon race walk mixed relay, a new event on the athletics programme. Panwar, who began the race, was pulled up for incorrect technique — bent knee and loss of contact — in the first leg. Then Priyanka also got warned for loss of contact in the second leg. Panwar came up with an error-free performance in the third leg before Priyanka was pulled up twice in the fourth and last leg and India ended with a ‘did not finish’ mark.
India’s best placing was 16th in the first leg before dropping down to 21st and 24th in the second and third.
Chitravel, Abdulla crash out
In the men’s triple jump, Praveen Chitravel and Abdullah Abubacker crashed out in the preliminary round. Abuduallah, with an SB of 17m, had a best of 16.49m that put him in the 21st spot. Chitravel, with an SB of 17.12m, managed a best of only 16.25m to finish 27th in the field of 32.
Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo topped the two groups with a leap of 17.44m. Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez bagged the 12th spot in the final with a best of 16.79m edging France’s Jean-Marc Pontvianne on count back.
8 Aug
August 8, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Asian Games silver medallist Jyothi Yarraji’s Paris Olympics campaign came to end after she finished 16th in the women’s 100m hurdles repechage round.
Yarraji clocked 13.17s. to be placed fourth in her heat, behind South Africa’s Marione Fourie (12.79), Netherlands’ Maayke Tjin-A-Lim (12.87), Viktoria Froster of Slovakia (12.88).
Only the top two hurdlers in each repechage heat advanced to the semifinals. There were a total of three heats and Yarraji was placed in heat 1.
Yarraji, an Asian champion, clocked 13.16s in the first round to rank 35th overall and make the repechage round.
Yarraji holds the Indian record with a timing of 12.78 seconds. She first broke the women’s 100m hurdles national record after clocking 13.23s in Cyprus in May 2022 and has improved it several times since then. The current record stands at 12.78s which she achieved in Chengdu, China in August 2023.
The 24-year-old hurdler then matched it at the Motonet GP Jyvaskyla athletics meet in Finland in May 2024, where she missed Paris Olympics qualification mark by just 0.01 seconds. She qualified for the Paris Games on the basis of her ranking. PTI
Badminton
27 July
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, July 28, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It was one match in which Lakshya Sen would have been wishing he could settle the issue in just two games. The 22-year-old managed just that as he snatched four game points from Guatemala’s veteran Kevin Cordon to open his Olympics campaign with a 21-8, 22-20 victory in a Group L match.
So commanding was the performance by Sen that the longest rally of the match lasted just 31 seconds.
Lakshya flirted with the lines and smashed into the net for a flurry of unforced errors that saw the 37-yearold Cordon, playing in his fifth Olympics, lead 20-16. Af- ter losing three chances to push the match into the decider, the four-time PanAm champion thought he had won the second game and even began celebrating. But a challenge by Lakshya led to an overrule that made it all square at 20-20.
Cordon lost another challenge to stare at match point and soon it was all over as the Indian packed his bags after a 42-minute workout.
Sen, who came out on Court 1 wearing a white tee and blue shorts, hit cruise mode early in the first game as Cordon failed to match Sen’s deception, power and precision. The first game was over in 14 minutes after Sen, who had Indian badminton legends Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar on courtside, opened with a deceptive shot.
He soon ran away to a 6-1 lead before changing ends at 11-2. Sen continued his dominance and Cordon found the going tough as the Indian repeatedly attacked his serve. The first game was over in 14 minutes but it was a slightly different story in the second game. Realizing that his opponent was not a tough contender, Lakshya went for the lines and tried to smash his way ahead. The ploy didn’t work as he made a number of unforced errors, allowing Cordon to claw his way back into the match.
Sen was trailing 6-11 at the break and Cordon pushed all the way to 20-16 before the Indian decided to turn it on. It looked as Sen was making his rival run around the court and towards the end, Cordon was clutching his arm in pain after a few powerful smashes. The average rally lasted only seven strokes and 10 seconds.
“I was not getting my timing right in the second game,” Lakshya said. Coach Vimal Kumar also felt he experimented a bit more as it was his first match. “He got a little nervous after hitting a few shots wide in the second game as he was playing with the draught. He was also trying different strokes as it was his first match,” Vimal told TOI.
Next up for Sen on Monday is Julien Carragi of Belgium, who pushed World No. 3 Jonathan Christie, before losing in three games. Only the group winner will advance to the last 16.
Breeze for Satwik-Chirag too
With the French fans in full flow, singing and cheering their fans, third seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty broke their hearts with a 21-17, 21-14 win against Lucas Corvee Ronan Labar in a Group C match. The match lasted 46 minutes. The top-2 from each group advance to the quarterfinals.
“For Satwik and Chirag too it was a tricky first match. With the home crowd rooting for the French pair it was not easy but they managed very well,” Vimal said.
28 July
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s top player in men’s singles, HS Prannoy did his confidence a world of good as he came through in straight games to open his Olympics campaign on a high against Germany’s Fabian Roth in a Group K match.
Prannoy, who may run into his teammate Lakshya Sen in the knockout round, found his range towards the end of the first game, which saw a tight fight, and then breezed through the second to record a 21-18, 21-12 win on Court 1 at the La Chapelle Arena here.
The world No. 12, who reached the semifinals of the World Championships last year, said he was happy to switch into the tournament mode with confidence. ‘I’m happy that I could push through the first match and wrap it up in straight games. I saw that he (Roth) wanted to control the net. But then I opened up and it changed,” Prannoy told reporters. “Once I found the length towards the end of the first game I knew that I would find it easy in the second as the nerves were gone,” added the 32-year-old Indian who got big support from the scores of Indian fans who thronged the arena which was packed to the brim.
At the toss, Prannoy chose the side from where Lakshya found trouble with the wind. Both players were gauging each other as the match was off to a slow tempo with half smashes and drops dictating the rallies. The Indian took a 2-0 lead but the German soon caught and gave a close chase as Prannoy led 11-10 at the break.
But Roth won three straight points to take the lead and put Prannoy on the backfoot. The Indian soon levelled after a brilliant rally that saw Prannoy move his rival all over the court. From 17-17, the Indian pulled away to 20-18 and soon pocketed the first game. The second game was one-sided as the Indian won 21-12.
In the morning session, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu opened her campaign with a breezy victory against Maldives’ Fathimath Abdul Razzaq. The score read 21-9, 21-6 in a 29-minute opening exercise for the Indian champion. She next faces Kristin Kuuba of Estonia and looks all set to advance to the round of 16 from Group M.
29 July
July 30, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Forced to make a fresh start after his opening win was wiped off the record books, Lakshya Sen stamped his class to defeat Julien Carraggi of Belgium in straight games in their men’s singles group match here on Monday. The 22-yearold Sen, who is making his Olympic Games debut, beat Carraggi 21-19, 21-14 in the Group L match in 43 minutes. Sen’s win over Kevin Cordon, a Tokyo semifinalist, in the opening Group L match on Sunday was ‘deleted’ after the Guatemalan pulled out with a left elbow injury.
Sen, a gold medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and bronze winner at 2021 World Championships, will face third seed and world No. 3 and reigning Asian champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in his final group match on Wednesday. The match will decide which of the two players moves forward in the competition as only one each from the 16 groups will qualify for the pre-quarters. Ranked 18th in the world, Sen was 8-11 behind in the first change of ends and the gap widened to 8-12.
But from there on, the youngster roared back and levelled the score at 18-18 with the help of some fine smashes. Sen was up 19-18 before Carraggi, ranked 52nd, made it 19- all. But Sen held his nerve to win the next two points. “It was a bit hard to find my rhythm in the first game. But I came back and towards the end I stuck in there. I did not try to play a perfect game but I just retrieved more shots and attacked on my chances whenever I could,” Sen said later.
Having got the momentum, Sen was unstoppable in the second game. He was 8-2 up in no time and was 11-4 ahead at the change of ends, when he got tips from his star-studded coaching staff featuring Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar. The Belgian resisted briefly when the score line was 14-10 in favour of Sen but the Indian raised his level to make it 18-10 with a fine smash point.
“It was a good match today, especially in the first game, happy with the way I converted (the points). In the second game, I was much more in wwwcontrol. Looking forward to the next game,” Sen said. Asked if the cancellation of the first match’s result had any impact on him, Sen said, “I just took it as a practice match, now it is time for me to just focus on one match at a time. I will rest, recover and try to be at my best against Christie.”
Ponnappa & Crasto stare at early exit
Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered their second consecutive group-stage defeat in the women’s doubles on Monday. They lost 11-21, 12-21 to the world No.4 Japanese duo of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida in the 48-minute Group C match. They had lost their opener against South Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong. Ponnappa and Crasto, world No.19, are currently placed third in their group behind the Japanese and the South Koreans. The two top ranked pairs from each group qualify for the quarters.
Satwik-Chirag’s match called off
Badminton men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s second group-stage match in badminton against the German duo of Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seide was called off due to injury-enforced withdrawal of their opponent. PTI
30 July
Biju BabuCyriac, July 31, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Satwiksairaj Rankireddy their fine run at the Olympics as they advanced to the quarterfinals of men’s doubles as Group badminton arena here. contender to go all the way, was on song from the word go as they outclassed Indonesians Alfian Fajar and Ardianto Muhammad Rian 21-13, 21-13 in 40 minutes. It was another light workout for Satwik-Chirag as they get ready for the tougher competitions ahead at the business end of the tournament. The men’s doubles quarThursday.
It could have been three good workouts for the Indian pair but for the late pull out by Markus Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel on Sunday. The Germans were forced to exit after the former went down with a knee injury. Earlier, the Indian combo beat France’s Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar in their opener.
Such was their domination against the World No. 7 pair that the Indians won the first game in 16 minutes. They built on that in the second game and didn’t put a foot wrong. The Indonesians tried to make a match of it in the second and forced longer rallies, the longest of the match lasting 27 strokes.
But the Indonesians couldn’t stop the Indians from taking a big lead as they ran an eight-point lead in both the games. The Indians allowed their rivals to be in the contest only till the halfway stage in both the games and from there on it was the Indians who dictated terms. Despite the defeat Fajar and Rian also advanced to the last eight as Group C runners-up.
31 July
ALOK SINHA, August 1, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : After the early morning rain, the light, moist breeze felt good on the face. A good night’s sleep following the long train journey from Chateauroux on Tuesday night had helped. Coming out of the Metro, just outside the Porte de la Chapelle, one noticed that the cobbled sidewalk leading to the stadium had impressions of a shuttlecock. And a little ahead, a barbell, which reminded one of Mirabai Chanu. But that is for another day. Wednesday morning was about our badminton stars, in the fight for knockout last-16 singles berths.
P V Sindhu, two Olympic medals in her bag (silver in Rio 2016, bronze in Tokyo 2020), was the first Indian out on the courts. The 29-year-old Indian was up against 27-year-old Kristin Kuuba of Estonia.
The first game was a breeze as she took it 21-15. Kuuba, who has a deceptive drop in her repertoire, managed to stay close till 6-8 in the second game. But Sindhu had a quick word with her Indonesian coach Agus Dwi Santoso during the time-out. She returned to score 11 points on the trot and then sealed the game and match at 21-10. It also confirmed her entry in the last-16 knockout stage.
While it was easy for Sindhu and was on expected lines, it was a huge task for Lakshya Sen in the men’s singles. Having beaten Kevin Cordon of Guatemala in his opening game, he got the better of Julien Carraggi of Belgium. With Cordon pulling out after his first match, Lakshya’s win against him was ‘deleted’.
So, in the must win encounter, the 22-year-old unseeded Indian was up against the third seed, Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. Sen took his time to settle in, staged a comeback and then blew the Indonesian and the seedings and rankings out of the window with his emphatic performance.
Sen was beating the best in the world not so long ago but suffered a slump last year. He had to undergo a nose surgery for a deviated septum last August. The surgery was needed because the septum had blocked his right nasal pathway. He revealed later that the air intake was just 20% of normal. It had led to low immunity and several illnesses. It took him eight months to fully recover and rediscover his form, fitness and his confidence.
Sen had beaten Christie the first time they met in 2020. After that it was 4-0 in favour of the Indonesian. But that would have been far from the Indian’s mind. He had got a tough draw, and he was willing to come out of it fighting.
Sen started tentatively and found himself down 0-5. The Indonesian was pinning him to the back of the court and attacked him aggressively. “It took me some time to understand his tactics. The wind was also not helping, so I decided to change my strategy and counter his aggression,” Sen said later.
From 2-8 down, he took seven straight points to go ahead 9-8. Sen decided to engage in rallies and came up with delicate drops and scintillating returns. Christie kept smashing, hitting hard, trying to barge his way through. Sen was unperturbed and stonewalled his fancied opponent.
The Indian then came up with his own smashes and went ahead 14-11. Christie fought back to make it 18-18. Sen picked two quick points to get the game point. Then came a brilliant, reflex return from the Indian. It was the shot of the match and one which gave Sen the confidence to go for the kill. The first game was clinched 21-18.
Sen did not change his strategy in the second game. He was willing to play long rallies, keep returning everything that was thrown at him, keep lunging, keep diving. The Indonesian kept making unforced errors, rattled by Sen’s stubborn play that had blunted his game.
At the halfway stage of the second game, Sen led 11-6, Then, leading 13-9, he reeled off four points to go ahead 17-9. It was clear by then that the Indonesian had no chance of making a dramatic comeback. Sen had a stranglehold on him, the escape window was shut.
The Indian sealed the game at 21-12 and clenched his fist one last time. He then waved at the fans in the stands and thanked them with folded hands.
“I took time to settle down in the first game and after that tried to stay one or two points in the lead. It worked. In the second, I was in full control,” Sen said later. “It was a tough group. Going ahead I have confidence and the momentum with me. I must keep giving my 100 %.” He must. It is a long haul.
1 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 2, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Four Indian men came to the Porte de la Chapelle arena in the afternoon here on Thursday. The fates of two were linked to each other. The two others, countrymates and friends on the circuit, were forced to battle one another. Two men walked away from the court with a heartbreak which will linger for a while, one broke down in tears later, and one was left standing alone – happy, relieved and maybe a little sad somewhere.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were first up in the men’s doubles quarterfinals of the badminton competitions. Ranked No. 5 now, they were up against Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wool Yik, ranked No. 3. There was not much to separate the two pairs as far as skills and pedigree go.
Both are at the elite level. It started as a keenly-contested duel and tilted towards the Indians at the halfway stage of the first game. The pairs went toeand-toe for a while more and the Indians then surged ahead. The drops were kissing the net and falling in rival territory, the smashes had enough power and the frantic half smashes were just eluding the Malaysians. The game got over at 21-13. They were again 10-10 at the halfway mark in the second game, the Indians having led 4-0 at the start. The game suddenly changed as the Malaysians forced the Indians into making a string of errors. Within no time it was over. 21-14 in favour of the Malaysians.
The decider was well fought. The Indians kept trailing till they equalized at 9-9 and went ahead as a Satwik smash crashed into his opponent’s body. Then they took a crucial lead – 14-11 –and should have gone ahead and killed the contest. It was not that simple. The Malaysians raised their level and the Indians started to make errors again. The drop shots that were landing perfectly, started finding the net. There was no room to smash their way out of trouble. It slipped away dramatically, cruelly from them. At 15-15 they were still in there, and also at 16-16. Then the Malay- sians raced through the game. 21-16, game over! “It was a close contest. They had the momentum in the third, but we led at 11-9 and then 14-11. We were in control,” Chirag said after the loss.
“Then we gave away some easy points and they got a couple of lucky points.” Were they too eager to win when they were leading 14-11 in the decider? “We should have probably been calmer,” Chirag said. “We didn’t miss those shots when we won the first game but missed it in the decider. We have the experience of having played the top players. So, it was not a mind thing. They played the 1-2-3-4 shots better and put us under a lot of pressure towards the end,” said Satwik.
Sen prevails in all-India duel
Lakshya Sen took on compatriot HS Prannoy in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals soon after the doubles got over. It was completely one-sided as Prannoy, older and more experienced, failed to get into any rhythm. Lakshya won the first game 21-12 and finished the second one with a smash – 21-5.
The scores don’t give a clear picture, though. There is hardly any difference in the playing level of these two. However, on Thursday, it was clear that Prannoy was not hundred per cent. He had suffered from chikungunya last month and was hospitalized for 5 days.
He recovered somehow to come to Paris, but his body had been ravaged. He played through pain to make the prequarter finals, but had run out of reserves when he met Sen. In the mixed zone, trying to explain his weak play against Sen, he spoke for a while and then broke into tears. There was nothing to say, nothing to ask. Sen, standing next to him, could feel his pain. He will play Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-Chen today in the quarterfinal.
1 Aug: II
Alok Sinha, August 2, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It was a story of smash hits and mishits at the Porte de la Chapell here on Thursday evening. China’s He Bing Jiao, 27, got it right and destroyed her opponent. India’s PV Sindhu, 29, could not and succumbed. Sindhu had beaten the doughty Chinese at the Tokyo Olympics to win the bronze medal.
This time, she lost to her in the prequarterfinals, failing in her bid to get her third Olympic medal after her silver in Rio and bronze in Tokyo. It was close in the first game. Sindhu stayed close to the left-hander, engaging in long rallies. She was down 2-7 and 6-10 but caught up at 12-12. It was 19-19 at the end. Sindhu’s smash then went just wide, and He’s smash on the next point beat Sindhu hollow. 21-19 to the Chinese.
Sindhu changed the strategy. He hadn’t smashed too many times in the first game and tried doing it more in the second. But the Chinese was up to it. She kept returning every time Sindhu went for the kill. And then smashed hard to ensure that the points kept coming.
The Chinese went ahead 13-5 and then 16-8. It was very difficult to come back from there. Sindhu pulled back some points, but it ended at 21-14, a rather easy win for the Chinese.
So, did the Chinese’s smash hurt her? “Smash… yes, I knew she has a good smash. Her jump smash is really good. I made too many errors. I should have scored more with my smash. But her defence was very good. I should have engaged her in more rallies, but I kept making mistakes, hitting out.
“In the first game, I was at 19-19 but a close call on the penultimate point hurt me. If I had won that game, it would have been different,” the seasoned pro said later. “In the second game, I gave her a big lead. No match is over until it is over. I kept fighting.”
How difficult has it been coming back from injury and getting ready for this? “Coming back from injury is not easy but we had worked very hard. We prepared very well. Sometimes it is not your day. But I have no complaints. And I would like to thank everyone who backed me, supported me through my dark days, when things were really down.” What lies ahead? “There is time to think about it.”
2 Aug
Alok Sinha, August 3, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Lakshya Sen has discovered a second wind. Having spent eight months recovering from surgery on his nose in August last year, it was a struggle for him to first qualify for Paris 2024, and then stay focused and determined as he went deep into the men’s singles competition here. Deeper than any Indian male shuttler has gone before.
At the Porte de la Chapelle arena here on Friday, Sen created history by entering the semifinals after an energysapping, 75-minute, threegame encounter with a rival who has himself suffered a lot physically in the recent past, Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-Chen. Sen prevailed 19-21, 21-15, 21-12.
Chou was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and had an operation to re- move part of his colon. It took him time to recover both physically and mentally.
For both these players, it was a matter of pride having reached the quarterfinals. They fought hard, neither willing to let go in the first game. Chou tried to draw Sen to the net, involve him in rallies closer to the net and force him into errors. The Indian realised the rival’s gameplan and changed strategy to open up the game. It was 7-7, then 13-13 and 18-18. It could have gone either way but Chou hit two clean smashes to win the first game.
The second game was also close till the halfway stage. Sen took a three-point lead, lost it and then trailed at 7-9. He recovered with smart drop shots and cross court smash to lead 11-10. It was still very close. They went neck-and-neck till 13-13. This is where Lakshya took charge. He won a point with superb net play, smashed one hard and then made a reflex return. Chou gave up. 21-15 and the match had tilted towards the Indian.
The Chinese Taipei player seemed to be tiring a bit in the decider. After 3-3, the gap started increasing. Chou was either hitting it a little long or finding the net. Sen was returning everything, the way he did against Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in their group stage clash.
At 11-7, Sen looked in control. Chou started making unforced errors. From 13-9 it was 15-11, then 16-12. There was no way Chou was coming back. Sen by now had moved in for the kill. He smashed one hard to get the match point. His drop shot then was buried into the net by Chou. 21-12. Match over. They shook hands, Chou said something, Sen nodded and replied. There was respect for one another.
Later, in the mixed zone, Lakshya was looking tired and wanted to get done with the official duty fast. The reality of the win had already sunk in. “I have a lot more work to do now.
The real test begins now,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “I have just a day to rest and recover. 48 hours. There is no time.”
4 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 5, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : “The real test begins now,” Lakshya Sen had said on Friday evening after making the semifinals of the men’s singles. The Indian shuttler found out that it was indeed real, and mentally bruising, at the Porte de la Chapelle arena on Sunday. The 22-year-old was up against world’s No. 2 Victor Axelsen of Denmark. World champion, defending champion, towering over his rival at six feet four, the 30-year-old Dane was a formidable, intimidating opponent.
Sen knew that. He had won just one in eight encounters against the Dane before this and taken just three games off him. But the Indian was fearless when he went in there. He gave it his all, left his heart out there on the court. He walked away with several unanswered questions ringing in his head. He had lost 20-22, 14-21 and it would take time to sink in. Sen was in control of the first game. After fighting with all his skills and courage, he had the Dane cornered, having scored six points in that game at one stage to go up 17-11. He finally had three game points in his hands. 20-17. He had to go for the kill. Something snapped. He lost it there.
Sen was probably thinking too much, too hard. He made a service error. You don’t do that against a player who has often come back from the dead in hostile arenas across the world. This was the lifeline Axelsen needed. He could see that the Indian across the net was nervous. It was his turn to go for the kill. Axelsen drove the knife in hard, taking the game at 22-20, reeling off five straight points.
The tone of the contest was set. Or was it? Sen returned to serve in the second game and looked unaffected as he scored seven straight points. 7-0. This was unreal. Axelsen looked a bit unsettled as he kept making unforced errors, sending his returns long or wide. Sen was cruising. He served well, returned well, had a couple of delectable drop shots and a few smash hits too.
But the fans in Sen’s corner were probably thinking too far ahead. Probably so was Sen. Axelsen being a champion of comebacks, got a foot in the door when a Sen return went wide. Down 1-7, the Dane slowly started catching up. Sen was the better player at the net throughout the contest. He kept trying to draw his tall rival in with his drop shots. The Indian won some crucial points at the net and his experienced rival realised that he needed a change in strategy. Instead of playing the drop shot contest, he hit out long and took control from the backcourt. From there came the half smash, the flick and the stinging powerful smash.
Axelsen caught up with Sen at 10-10 with his trademark smash. Lakshya stayed in the game till 12-12 and then suddenly lost rhythm. He was losing control. Axelsen sensed it and knew just what to do. Sud- denly, he looked to be in a hurry. He smashed at will, hard and brutal. Sen had no more answers. He kept making unforced errors and threw in the towel. After the match, Axelsen admitted that Sen played better on the day. “He could have won today. Four years down the line he will be a better player, I am sure,” he said.
So, what was he thinking when he was down 17-20 in the first game? “I tried not to think. I was blank. He thought a lot. It is natural. He got nervous and I had to strike. He made mistakes due to his nerves. My experience helped me.” When asked about Sen’s game, Axelsen said: “He played better than me. But I won it here,” he said, pointing to his head.
And what was his weapon against the Indian? “Good badminton,” said the Dane with a smile as he walked away. And what did Sen think of the missed opportunity. “I should have won the first game. Overall, it was a good match, and I am already looking ahead,” he said, not wanting to speak about the bitter defeat.
“I have to learn to be a bit more patient. I made errors but honestly, I played what I thought was the best in that situation on the court. There are many lessons for me from this match. But there is no time to think about them now. I have to forget this and the earlier matches,” he said.
He will be back on the court on Monday. He still has a date to keep – the bronze match against World No. 7 Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia.
5 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Sweat and blood and heart. Lakshya Sen gave it all on the court of Porte de la Chapelle here on Monday. But somewhere, in the middle of it all, a doubt crept into his mind. He failed to ignore it. Soon, several questions swamped him, overwhelmed him and then destroyed him. Suddenly, the confidence and belief were gone. He crumbled slowly, painfully and faded away.
In the bronze-medal match against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Zia, India’s 22-year-old played like a champion for most part of the contest. He looked in control and eager for a medal. But like on Sunday, in his match against Denmark’s Victor Axelsen, Sen lost from a winning position. Like on Sunday, the game was won and lost in the mind. This time the scoreline was 21-13, 16-21, 11-21.
Lakshya started the first game looking assured. He has been in great form here. He has won points with some brilliant rallies, drop shots, half smash, full smash. He has dived, run up and down fluidly. His game is easy on the eye. And when he is in full flow, he is a treat to watch.
When his rhythm gets broken and his mind is gone, he looks like someone else. Like he did against Axelsen and like he did against Lee on Monday. Different rivals, familiar script. Sen won the first game 21-13. He was enjoying the cruise. He was up 11-5 at the halfway stage. Then 17-11, 19-13, game. There was no inkling of the storm ahead.
In the second game, the course did not change. Sen was leading 7-2 and the German journalist sitting on the adjacent seat asked, “Will he be the first Indian to win a men’s singles Olympic medal”? Of course. Of course.
One had spoken too soon. Trailing 3-8, Lee got aggressive. He smashed hard for two good points. Sen hit out long twice and made a bad leave. It was 8-8. Then Sen was down 9-12. He won a point with a delicate drop and two with crosscourt smash. 12-12. It was still anybody’s game, or so one thought. The script changed here. Sen could be seen checking his right elbow, which had a small band aid stuck over a wound. From 14-15, he managed to win just two points. With Lee at 20-16, serving for the game, the doctor was called in. He bandaged Sen’s elbow. He went back into the fight, but Lee wrapped up the game at 21-16.
In the decider, it was clear that the bleeding wound had left Sen physically and mentally vulnerable. It was playing on his mind. So were the memories of the bruising battle against Axelsen. When he was trailing 2-4, blood started to ooze out of the bandage and drip on to the court. The doctor rushed in again. Then again when the Indian was 5-10, almost out of contention. Lee was up 11-6 at the halfway stage. Sen had given up by now. He managed a smash winner when trailing 10-19 but that had come after the battle was lost. Lee prevailed 21-11.
Back-to-back meltdowns will leave scars on Sen’s young mind. He has the game for the highest level, but he will have to toughen up mentally. He will have to stop doubting himself. He needs more self-belief.
Boxing
28 July
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Sometimes, a long wait can be a soul-searing rigour, and when the moment finally arrives it can be a little underwhelming, something of a fizzle up. But then maybe it is meant to be that way, that moment of disenchantment, and this is not even about those ‘thrill of the chase’ things, this is plain life unfolding in all its drab, prosaic inevitability. It was never meant to be all fireworks as you had always imagined it.
When Nikhat Zareen removed her blue headgear, almost relieved, and shook free her hair, spraying sweat around those gathered in her corner, it was fitting that the opening bars of reflective, quietly rousing ‘Lose Yourself’ began ringing around the arena. It stopped just before Eminem would start to tell you how it is to be within touching distance to that one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, and whether you’d grab it or just let it slip? They were playing her song – this Mile 8 introspector – and she seemed just happy to be able to get out of there.
It is a funny thing, wanting to get out of someplace, you love being in in the first place. Nikhat was going through that strange transformative feeling in noisy, busy North Paris Arena. It was not pretty. The girls brawled like boys on the playfield, once even finding themselves on the floor in an inelegant manoeuvre, and Mouhsine Soulimi, the Moroccan referee like some bored substitute teacher tasked with minding errant middleschoolers, often having to step in and pull them apart almost as if by their ears.
It wasn’t even that the bout was so high stakes that all grace, technique and the essential aesthetics of the sport flew out of the window, all of it eschewed for a win, any win. It was just what it was – a scrap, hair-pulling, kicking and screaming, because that’s how Maxi Carina Kloetzer, the little-known 23-year-old from Germany wanted it to go and then end it.
At one point, in all pouty petulance and shrugged shoulders, little Maxi even argued, gloved palms spread open at a Soulimi intervention. The penalty in Round Two probably swung the momentum away from her, for she was leading the scrap offering a tentative, and a clearly surprised Nikhat no room in the opening round. That little stoppage helped Nikhat – who would receive a warning herself later – as she seemed to begin relishing the scrap, choosing to wade into it because there was no way out.
She chose to step back and dare the German into advancing. Even with her reach failing her, Nikhat managed to eke out a win and could begin to salvage the bout. Third, she was all in, no holding back and it got even less pretty, but the job had to be done.
Nikhat has been subsisting only on water for the past two days to keep her weight. “The hunger kept me up all night,” she said, “Even now I am all parched and not because of the fight. I am okay with how the bout went, because I often don’t start well so I counting this as that.”
In a draw that is heavily loaded against her, she is up against China’s Wu Yu next. “Yes, top seed,” smiled Nikhat, “Look, I haven’t got things easy in life. I’m counting this too as one of those. I know, I have the fight in me. Top seed? Okay, bring her on. Let’s go…”
30 July
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, July 31, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Amit Panghal never got to see Paris.
Touted as a medal prospect in the men’s 51kg, with his late run of form in the final few qualifiers for the Olympics, it proved to be a rather brief sojourn for Panghal here at the North Paris Arena, venue for the early rounds of the compe- tition before it moves for the main rounds to Roland Garros. After earning a bye in the opening round, Panghal lost his Round of 16 encounter on split decision 4-1 to a familiar rival, Patrick Chinyemba. The Zambiam used the Olymics stage to exact revenge for the Commonwealth Games semifinal loss at Birmingham two years ago. Panghal, the eventual champion, had won that fight 5-0.
On Tuesday, the reversal must have hurt Panghal to the extent that the 2018 Asian Games gold winner and 2019 world championship silver winner, left the playing area in a hurry, not stopping to analyse his defeat or laud his opponent. In an intense fight here on Tuesday, the two-time African flyweight champion later said he was happy that the judges were fair. “I am very happy with the win,” Chinyemba said later, “The last time we met (Birmingham 2022), I lost to him. I am happy this time that the judges were fair,” he said.
With the Zambian ranked third for the Olympics, maybe, this time, it was Panghal, a former world No 1, who could be forgiven for feeling badly dealt by the judges. But it was always going to be a tough catch-up battle for the Indian after narrow 3-2 verdicts in the first two rounds.
The punches traded fiercely in the final round proved no gain for the Indian with the judges ruling an unanimous 4-0 in the African’s favour.
Indian men’s boxing had seemed destined for very poor representation at the Paris Games with boxers failing to qualify at the various competitions on offer.
Panghal, initially dropped from the men’s elite team was belatedly reinstated as a last hope after it appeared that no male could qualify for the Olympics this time. He managed to make the grade at the Bangkok qualifiers as late as June, thereafter choosing to train on his own in Shilaroo in Himachal and not with the rest of the Oympic squad at Saarbrucken in Germany.
Jaismine outclassed
It continued to be a disappointing day for India, with Jaismine Lamboria looking totally out of depth in her loss to Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines in the women’s 57 kg.
It looked like a battle of unequals at the start, with fivefeet-nine tall Jaismine towering over the five-two Petecio. It would prove anything but that with the Filipino boxer making light of the contrast in height and reach. “We had studied her. We found that despite her height she is a tentative puncher and it would work for us if we forced her onto the backfoot,” said Don Abnel, the Philippines coach.
31 July
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, August 1, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Lovlina Borgohain fought like an old-timer of her weight category, biding her time, choosing when to close in, making the charge, stepping back — hardly ever giving the impression that she is a relatively recent entrant in the Olympics 75kg club.
The Tokyo Games bronze winner (69kg) and the 2023 world and Asian Games champion after her subsequent elevation to the higher weight category, seemed in no hurry as she earned a unanimous verdict against Sunniva Hofstad of Norway, herself a former world junior champion.
The win has set up Lovlina for a quarterfinal meeting with World No. 1, the 34-year-old Li Qian of China, who earlier beat Hergie Bacyadan of the Philippines.
Following her elevation to the 75kg after the boxing authorities rejigged the classifications, Lovlina was seen as many as the weak link in the Indian scheme of things, the gnawing feeling that despite the Asian Games and world championship gold last year, the Olympics were the real deal. Coping in the tougher, higher weight class after being naturally lighter and fighting for years in the lower category would demand a greater degree of adjustment. But Lovlina betrayed none of that against the 20-year-old Norwegian who has been fighting in the 75 kg for nearly four years now.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old Lovlina, far from showing that she would struggle at this level, gave the beleaguered Indian squad here their finest win with a smooth, unhurried exhibition of boxing. While they once again didn’t speak to the waiting media afterwards, coach Dmirtry Dmitruk, normally downcast and all mumbles this past week here, had a spring in his step as they walked back to the changing area. He was seen animatedly explaining a clutch and showing Lovlina how to extricate herself from a situation, clearly a point that may have caught his eye during the bout.
Hofstad was herself surprised at her rival’s ease, an aspect that managed to conceal her attacking intent, in a weight category that was, till recently, alien to her. “She boxed a little differently than I had anticipated. She was more forward than I thought she would be,” confessed Hofstad later, “I had thought that she would be more on the backfoot and (that) it would be me who would be pushing her.
“I have been fighting in the 75 kg for the past four years now and am really comfortable in that class, but I really didn’t reel the difference in weight,” she explained. “We had a plan for her, knowing that she would be a little bit lighter than me, and we could use that as an advantage but she never really let me get there. I never got the opportunity to do that. “I have to go back and review the fight, but I feel that as the fight continued, I could have used the holding better and the punching, but yes, Lovlina never really let me get there. She’s a tough opponent,” said Hofstad, adding, “Definitely, we’ll have to work differently when dealing with her for the next time.”
The Norwegian Hofstad will have to wait though, for “next time”. For Lovlina, right now is a tough quarterfinal date with the vastly experienced Li Qian. It will make for interesting viewing how the eighth seed Lovlina with all her calm and languid approach in the ring, will keep the Chinese boxer at bay and continue with her deceptive attacking ways. A win on Sunday, and a repeat of the Tokyo experience beckons Lovlina.
Nikhat up against top seed Wu Yu
All those years of waiting for an Olympics appearance, all the famously documented struggle to get here, and it all comes down to this. Not being seeded for the Olympics despite being a double world champion, Nikhat faces arguably the toughest test of her career when she meets top seed Wu Yu in the second round of an unforgiving draw in the 50kg class on Thursday.
Nikhat survived a scrappy Olympic debut against Maxi Kloetzer, forced to change her approach and style to eke out a win against the German who seemed happier to clinch her way to a narrow verdict. “I am happy that the judges gave a unanimous verdict, I would have been disappointed had the verdict been split,” said Nikhat later.’
1 Aug
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, August 2, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Nikhat Zareen will never have Paris. Because of all the boxing rings in all the competitions in the world, at the Olympics here, she walked into Wu Yu.
Apologies, at the start, if it appears one is making light of a sportsperson’s soul-crushing defeat, years of wait and hours and hours of training, but Nikhat’s short-lived Olympic journey will always have an epic ‘what if…’ attached to it.
Maybe it was never meant to be. Maybe you have to resign yourself to forever having to live with that feeling, like a new skin that you never asked for. How do you accustom yourself to this new reality that’s suddenly thrust upon you? After you have emotionally and physically drained yourself, where does the strength to pick yourself up and continue come from? Because tomorrow will still come but it will be woefully mundane.
“Take a holiday, perhaps,” said Nikhat, “A solo one maybe. I haven’t done a solo one ever. This looks like a good time.” The holiday sounded like the best idea all morning, nothing like a journey to find yourself. But what of the journey you’ve been taken off from?
Nikhat, typically, had been putting on a brave face, grinning-gritting in between the heaving breaths of a chest waiting to explode. When a usually high-spirited and confident sportsman breaks into tears, in the full, cold glare of a questioning world, it perhaps humanizes her even further. There is a growing up, one that you’d have wished happened to you in private, but this catharsis in public – under accompanying bars of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams are Made of These’ in the stadium playlist — is cold, extreme and open. It leaves you with no place to hide.
Did Nikhat feel the same on Thursday? She would have. All her life she had been waiting for this moment. It was here, but not like this – answering why she was spent by the time the third round came ringing against the sure and composed top seed Wu of China. How she had had to subsist on water for the past two days to hold on to her weight. How the hunger-led lack of sleep may have been a factor when it was required to go all out.
Her utterances, after her bitter exit, were a mixture of heartfelt admissions, feeble defiance — somewhere a denial too — and swiftly dawning acceptance and resignation. In such times, rehearsed platitudes provided easy refuge, fine escape routes. But for how long?
“We still wait on the future of boxing in four years’ time in 2028,” the 28-year-old would say, “We still don’t know.” After Thursday’s undisputable 5-0 reverse at the hands of the Chinese top seed, Nikhat was realizing that time had probably slipped by. Yet proud and pioneering that she is, she would not let it show and would continue to hold out on hope. After all, hope is what she is famous for. One was tempted to ask, if she was in better shape perhaps for the postponed Tokyo Olympics three years ago, a Games for which she had chosen to shake the establishment and challenge an ‘unshakeable’ champion?
Or had the readiness from constant training and preparation for Paris come undone with the most lop-sided of draws in the women’s 50-kg? “She fought one bout less than me,” said Nikhat of the top seed, who now meets another familiar foe in Chuthamat Raksat, the eight seeded Thai. in the quarterfinals. Asked where she ranked the setback among the many that she has weathered. Nikhat seemed a little indignant. “This is not a setback. This was a good fight lost. She is a terrific boxer. I have learnt much from this fight, will help me prepare better for the future,” she said. Maybe, next time. But the question still begs, when?
1 Aug: II
August 2, 2024: The Times of India
India’s Nishant Dev entered the quarterfinals of the 71kg men’s boxing competition, defeating Jose Gabriel Rodriguez Tenorio of Ecuador. Dev won the contest 3-2 via a split decision. Dev started the bout on an aggressive note, landing straight and precise punches on his opponent to win the first round comfortably. But the Ecuadorian saved his best for last to take the contest to the wire. Dev looked a bit tired but in the end, he did enough to defend his score and secure a place in the last eight. PTI
4 Aug
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, August 5, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Lovlina Borgohain entered the arena with a smile, and with a strange, awkward looking sway to the music almost as if she was willing herself to be in the zone that was required of her. She smiled through almost all of her bout with old foe Li Qian, showing even through the exaggerated pouts that mouthguards give boxers – once even offering to help pick up the Chinese when the double Olympic medallist and the world No 1 found herself on the floor during a second round brawl. The last Indian boxer in the fray here, was she not aware of the task ahead of her in Paris? Or was appearing blissfully oblivious her way of deflecting all things mental in boxing?
Maybe, that is how she is made. Is Lovlina too much of a nice guy in this grab and smash world of Olympic women’s boxing? It was an aspect that she may have perhaps needed to conceal, disguise in this high- stakes bout with Qian, one that would grant her entry to the Roland Garros venue as a semifinalist in the women’s 75kg, and ensure her of a medal, her second at the Olympics.
Because at some level there was disappointment too, and overnight anger. Disappointment because Lovlina was the last of the Indian boxers here in Paris, after a shrill campaign that had promised much but unfortunately delivered little. And anger from overnight, because many in the Indian camp felt that lateevening fighter, Nishant Dev was robbed of a genuine win against Mexico’s Marco Alvarez in the strangest of split decisions in Saturday’s men’s 71kg quarterfi- nals, after he had taken the lead in the first round and had looked the better puncher in the final third. Lovlina entered the ring with a smile, but left with a little tear in her eye. Because, it would go in similar fashion on Sunday morning as well, the Indian being edged out in a 4-1 split decision in a close fight to a familiar foe.
The bout began with Lovlina needing to stay out of the Chinese’s reach, not get too close and get ensnared in a scrap which would allow Qian employ her clinching tactics. But just the reverse happened. Lovlina was drawn into the fight at the level and nature that Qian would have liked, the holding and clinching ensued leaving Lovlina having to drag herself from it. Still, it was a close verdict – 3-2 – in the Chinese boxer’s favour.
Realising that she may have a chance if she reverted to her type, Lovlina began Round Two in just that way. Like she did with her easy-looking manner in the last bout against Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad, Lovlina kept away forcing Qian to charge. The taking over of momentum worked, as Lovlina seemed much more in control, dictating the fight her way. It was the best round of boxing of the bout with the two gangly 75 kg boxers sizing each other up, parrying and trading punches. It was again 3-2 in favour of Qian, but a much-improved show from Lovlina – two of the judges who had ruled in favour of Qian in the first round choosing to award the Indian here. It gave much hope for the final three minutes, where maybe there lay in store, a semifinal entry for Lovlina, and her own second Olympic medal.
She had to fight to recover, to draw level and to take the lead. In the third then, dropping her defences Lovlina waded in, in an attempt to turn the tide but Qian was more than prepared. Trailing after the first round has afflicted the Indian boxers here in Paris, leaving them with having to do the rallying in the second and fight for parity and hope for an inch-close win off the final. More often than not that will not work at this highest level of competition, and certainly not for India at Paris here.
Hockey
27 July
Manuja Veerappa, July 28, 2024: The Times of India
Debutant Dominic Dixon came into the match against India with 36 international caps for New Zealand. But for the 58 minutes he stood under the bar, he was all about strong basics, impeccable timing and quick reflexes. The goalkeeper made it almost impossible for India to cross the finish line on Saturday. But with 1.56 minutes left on the clock, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh turned the tables , found the net off a penalty stroke (59th minute)to ensure a 3-2 opening win for India.
In a match in which the Tokyo bronze medallists swayed from mediocre to methodical, their seasoned goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who withstood a barrage of penalty corners, was a game changer. New Zealand drew first blood through Sam Lane (8th minute) with Simon Child (53) being the other scorer.
For India, before Harmanpreet, Mandeep Singh (24) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (34) struck a goal each. In the first quarter, India were guilty of holding on to the ball too long in the opposition half, as a result they lost possession one too many times. Although Manpreet Singh weighed in with his experience to break through New Zealand’s half-court defence, forays into the striking circle were far and few between.
New Zealand, who were quick on the counterattack, found the gaps and made their circle penetration count in the eighth minute when they shook the Indians with the first penalty corner they earned. Lane’s power-packed low drag flick was way too quick for Sreejesh’s reflex on the right. India had a good chance to draw parity off a field goal, but Samsheer Singh was out of position to tap in a pass from Mandeep. India came back stronger in the second quarter, but the Black Sticks held sway. What hurt India early in the game was their inability to use the baseline and their strikers’ futile runs straight into the New Zealand defenders.
Sanjay’s quick thinking inside the circle earned India’s first penalty corner in the 24th minute. Off the second consecutive PC, Child swatted away Harmanpreet’s drag flick, but Mandeep, stole the ball from under Dixon’s pads to push the ball in, New Zealand unsuccessfully referred the goal.
In the latter half of the contest, India came back stronger, attacking from the flanks and using the length of the pitch to break up the opposition defence.
Vivek Sagar Prasad, put India ahead in the 34th minute, when he deflected a pass from Mandeep, which touched Blair Tarrant’s stick on the goal line. Although it went through an umpire’s referral, India won the goal by the barest of margin. With seven minutes to the hoot, New Zealand, who kept the pressure on Craig Fulton’s boys, found their second goal through Child, who made up for a feeble injection in the previous attempt.
With Harmanpreet scoring the winner in the dying moments, New Zealand pulled out Dixon and went all out, but a win was beyond their reach with less than two minutes to go.
29 July
Manuja Veerappa, July 30, 2024: The Times of India
After the 3-2 win against New Zealand in the opening game, India’s chief coach Craig Fulton called the contest a “wake-up call”. It took 21 circle penetrations and 10 penalty corners against Argentina for Harmanpreet Singh and his men to hear the alarm. Much like their opening fixture, it took a last-minute goal from Harmanpreet to secure a point for India. While they got away with a win against the Black Sticks, their persistence ensured they eked out a draw after Argentina, the 2016 champions, took the lead in the 22nd minute.
India, who were cheered by former India skipper Rahul Dravid, were scrappy at times, but they were the better side especially going forward in the first half. What separated the two was Argentina’s robust defence and India’s one-dimensional ap- proach with penalty corners.
Controlling the run of play with deft work on the baseline, India held a 57-43 advantage in terms of ball possession. There was also a fine display of stickwork, especially from rookie Abhishek, who almost earned India a goal with an artistic reverse slap which hit the crossbar.
While the Indians were all about attack and penetration, Argentina’s rocksolid defence stood firm. The 10-man Argentine wall not only neutralised India’s speed — albeit sans precision — but also gave India’s strikers no room.
Star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who often says goalkeeping is a lonely furrow and keepers have no place to hide, nearly cost India the match with a momentary lapse in judgement. In the 22nd minute, Lucas Martinez’ flick from the left was well on its way out, when Sreejesh decided to swipe it away, anticipating trouble from a rushing striker on the right. What followed was a nightmare as the ball caressed the hook of the Indian custodian’s stick and made its way into the goal. The reversal stunned the Indians and left Sreejesh rightfully disappointed.
Down by a goal and with 4.42 minutes on the clock, Fulton decided to play bold and pulled out Sreejesh. That move earned India a flurry of penalty corners. Harmanpreet eventually saved his best for the last and ensured a crucial point for India.
If India must go deep, there is a pressing need for them to take a relook at their penalty corner strategy — if they have one. Nine — five of them in the first half — went abegging. While Harmanpreet wasn’t on the field when India won their first PC, the ensuing nine exposed India’s overdependence on their star drag flicker. With five penalty corners and a stroke — which Maico Casella missed in the 45th minute — it was Argentina’s game to lose.
30 July
Manuja Veerappa, July 31, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It’s not been easy for the Indian hockey team so far in Paris. But things seem to be slowly falling into place as they beat a tenacious Ireland 2-0 in a Pool B match on Tuesday to close in on a quarterfinal berth.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh once against led from the front with two goals while goalkeeper PR Sreejesh came up with some fine saves to keep the Indian flag flying. It was India’s second win in three games and their unbeaten streak propelled them to the top of the standings in Pool B ahead of their last two clashes against powerhouses Belgium and Australia.
The two goals took the India skipper’s tournament tally to four and international goals to 192 in 222 matches. Harmanpreet neatly converted a penalty stroke in the 11th minute and then found another with his favourite drag flick in the 19th minute that deflected into the net off an Irish defender’s stick who had rushed out.
The Men in Blue had the match under control for most of the 60 minutes except towards the end of the third quarter which saw Ireland press hard without any reward.
Of the 10 penalty corners forced by Ireland, the majority came in the third period but Sreejesh had all the angles brilliantly covered. He repeatedly frustrated Shane O’Donoghue, Ireland’s record holder with 110 goals, as he tried to sound the board.
India forced an early penalty corner in the second minute but Harmanpreet’s shot was saved by Irish custodian David Harte. Ireland looked happy to keep it 0-0 till Mandeep Singh and Gurjant Singh made a fine run with 4 minutes, 56 seconds left on the clock. The ’keeper could avoid the danger only after fouling Gurjant and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the stroke. The Irish ’keeper guessed it right but the Indian skipper’s powerful stroke beat him to the right.
The second quarter saw India assert their supremacy. Lalit Upadhyay, who found the going tough down the left flank, had the first chance but he missed. Manpreet was also denied in the 18th minute before India forced three penalty corners in two minutes. The skipper found his range on his third attempt as India went into halftime with a 2-0 cushion.
Spirited fight by Irish
Ireland, who had troubled Australia even in their 1-2 defeat, came out fighting and took the attack to their opposition. The Indians, who could switch the tempo of the game at will, failed to drive home the advantage and the Irishmen sensed their chances to mount a comeback.
After Harmanpreet and Amit Rohidas missed two chances each from penalty corners, Ireland put Sreejesh and the Indian defence to test as they forced a flurry of penalty corners especially in the last two of the minutes of the quarter. After Shane tried twice, Lee Cole tried to fox the Indian custodian and the last PC came after the hooter went off. This time it was John Mckee but Sreejesh’s brilliance denied Ireland again.
Ten minutes into the fourth quarter, the Indian team managed the game well as they ran down the clock keeping possession. Ireland went close to reducing their deficit quite a few times but the Indian defence held strong. In the 55th minute, Sreejesh blocked a power-packed shot from Matthew Nelson and the next minute an Indian defender stopped a shot from Michael Robson. Shane and Sreejesh had another face-off in the final minute but on Tuesday there was only one winner.
“We expected a tough game as they beat Belgium in the last Pro League. We kept possession and kept them under pressure,” Manpreet, who got hit trying to save a PC, said. “Sreejesh made us remember Tokyo with his many saves,” added Sukhjeet Singh.
1 Aug
Manuja Veerappa, August 2, 2024: The Times of India
Old foibles with composure at the death surfaced as India’s hockey team, with less than two minutes on the clock, failed to score a goal against Belgium, and lost for the first time in this Olympics. India, who had already sealed a quarterfinal berth, appeared set to salvage a draw, but postman Florent van Aubel nudged away a goal-bound penalty corner and they slipped to a 2-1 defeat which saw them drop to third spot in pool B.
Could India have beaten the defending champions? Yes. Did they do enough to earn a win? Short answer, no. In the first three matches of their campaign, the eight-time champions were far from their best. Against Belgium they turned in a much-improved performance, but it wasn’t enough to get past the Red Lions.
Against a group of warrior class players, timing was everything. Initially, India did enjoy more of the ball, but they appeared content holding it and looking for space, rather than moving up. In contrast, attack was the underlying theme of the Belgian game plan.
If Belgium weren’t the first to go ahead, it was thanks to PR Sreejesh, who padded away a goal-bound shot off the second penalty corner. Then, after a barren first quarter, young striker Abhishek — a fine blend of speed and skill — put India in the front with his debut Olympic goal in the 18th minute. Arthur de Sloover slipped inside the circle and Abhishek was onto the ball in a flash, making room to twirl and slap it into the left corner of the goal.
India’s trouble with penalty corners continued with Amit Rohidas squandering one in the second quarter. And with two veteran goalkeepers at both ends — the indomitable Vincent Vanasch guarded Belgium’s citadel — creating opportunities inside the circle was crucial. India — who earned only three penalty corners on the day — failed on that count.
In the 27th minute, India had a fine opportunity to double the lead, but Vivek Sagar Prasad, who collected an accurate aerial ball, failed to find a goal. It could have been a different narrative had Vivek relayed a pass to Sukhjeet Singh, who was nicely positioned.
On the other side of the break, Belgium were far more resolute and committed. In the 33rd minute, De Sloover showcased deft stickwork as he charged into the circle and found Van Aubel, who took a shy at goal and Thibeau Stockbroekx tapped in.
India conceded three penalty corners and off the last one in the 44th minute, the iconic John-John Dohmen found the gap amid a goalmouth melee after Sreejesh had done well to block the ball. India did have a few opportunities to go even, while some went astray, the others ran into the unshakable Vanasch.
2 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 3, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : This was a match to decide where India would finish on the points table in Pool B of the hockey competition — a match against a team India have suffered against over the years. In fact, India had not beaten Australia since the 1972 Munich Games in the Olympics. One would not have blamed the Indian supporters for being a bit apprehensive at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium here on Friday afternoon.
For the Indian team, there was nothing to look back at. It was a clean slate. Ahead of them, on Pitch 2, was a rival they had to beat. They were ready, they were motivated, and they won it 3-2, fighting till the last second.
It was a long time coming. 52 years to be precise, and it felt good to have witnessed that.
What stood out in India’s victory was their outstanding defence – when the Aussies counter-attacked or when they got the penalty corners. Their off-the-ball running was spot on. They tried to close the channels in the midfield, which was manned well by veteran Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh. If the Aussies attacked through the flanks, the defenders, midfielders and even the strikers fought together to thwart them.
“We knew that they could be very dangerous in counter-attacks. We had decided that we would win the one-on-one battles, concede penalty corners but not give them a free run at our goal. We have a good penalty corner defence. We also kept changing our strategy according to the situation. We kept calling each other out when we needed man-to-man marking or zonal marking. It worked,” Manpreet said later.
The defence was the platform which the strikers used very well to hit the Aussies hard. In fact, India’s first goal came through field play in the opening quarter. On an attack from the left in the 12th minute, Lalit Upadhyay hit hard at the goal and Abhishek slammed the rebound off the goalkeeper Andrew Charter’s pads.
This came after Indian goalkeeper P R Sreejesh had made two superb saves in the initial minutes. The 36-year-old— playing in his last Olympics— like always was a rock in the goal. Even as the Kookaburras were looking to hit back, came the second goal. In the very next minute (13th minute), the Aussies tried to clear a long ball in their circle and conceded a penalty corner. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who already had four goals in his bag here, got his fifth one, hitting flat and straight through the middle to slam the board.
In the second quarter, Australia pulled one back Craig Thomas’ penalty corner conversion. It was an indirect combination. A string of five passes beat the Indian defenders. At 2-1, India knew they needed to score more to ensure they got full points.
It came just minutes into the third quarter. India won a penalty corner, their third, which was saved on the goal-line by an Aussie player. India asked for a video referral which revealed a foul and a penalty stroke was rewarded. Harmanpreet had no trouble slotting it home. At 3-1, India had a cushion.
In the last quarter, India seemed to have gone up 4-1 as Abhishek scored in a goal-line melee. The Aussies called for a video referral which showed a foul by Mandeep Singh before the final finish.
Relieved, the Aussies pressed and got their second when a penalty stroke was given for a foul inside the Indian circle. Blake Govers scored to make it 2-3. It stayed that way as Sreejesh made a valiant save in the dying seconds.
The goalkeeper later said that the strategy worked. “We played well against Belgium too on Thursday but failed to take our chances. Today, our forwards seized the opportunity. That worked for us. Yes, we defended very well.”
When asked about the ‘Win it for Sreejesh’ campaign, he said: “It feels good. I am trying my best not to disappoint fans back home. I got a couple of knocks in the end; my ribs are swollen but I am happy.”
4 Aug
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, August 5, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The wave of British attacks kept lashing Indian shores but PR Sreejesh stood tall at Yves-du-Manoir on Sunday. The saves kept coming in after India were reduced to 10 men following Amit Rohidas’ expulsion and as the match went into a shoot-out, the entire team felt super confident.
While Sreejesh was the hero, the whole team had put their bodies on the line to drag the game into shoot-out. James Alberry put Britain ahead in the tie-breaker beating Sreejesh with a fine dribble but Harmanpreet drew India level as he rounded off rival keeper Ollie Payne. Zach Wallace looked to be in trouble as he went wide but still found the board to put Britain back ahead. It was Sukhjeet’s turn next and the Jalandhar player tricked Payne with a fine dodge to make it 2-2. For Williamson and Roper, the pressure was just too much and Lalit Upadhyay and Raj Kumar Pal kept their nerves to take India home.
“(It is a) daily job of a goalie. Some days it’s a different effort (but) today is our day. Even in the shoot-out, the guys who took shots didn’t disappoint,” Sreejesh said.
The two teams had also clashed in the quarterfinal in Tokyo three years ago and Britain had dominated a couple of halves, but in that game India had a two-goal lead to play with. On Sunday, it was a different ball game altogether as Rohidas, one of India’s penalty corner specialists, was shown the red card by the umpire following a video referral for a high stick that hit William Calnan on the face in the 17th minute.
But the Indians, led by Harmanpreet Singh, took it as a wake-up call and attacked with renewed vigour and won the contest, frustrating Britain with their defensive skills. Before the game went into that mode where India were pinned down in their own half, Harmanpreet gave the boys in blue the lead from a penalty-corner against the run of play. The Brits knew they had the numerical advantage and they restored parity within five minutes. Britain forced a penalty corner and Samuel Ward’s try was saved by Sreejesh but the danger was not fully averted. Rupert Shipperly tested the India keeper with another stinging shot and Sreejesh’s block came back to Lee Morton who fired in from close as Sreejesh’s efforts went in vain.
Changing ends, Britain forced three penalty corners in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Gareth Furling, one of the three Wales players in the British team and their leading scorer with three goals here, tried two different shots but it was not enough to beat Sreejesh, who had all the angles covered. The Indian defence comprising the skipper and Sanjay, who was in to beef up the defence in Rohidas’ place, also did a great job saving India twice towards the end of the quarter.
The Indians, who were forced to fall back quickly to negate Britain’s numerical advantage, managed just four penalty corners while Britain had 10 without success. The fourth quarter was all about Britain seeing their attacks fade away in vain as Sreejesh was in no mood to concede again. The last of the many saves from the champion custodian came in the 60th minute and the Indians celebrated. And come the tie-breaker, Sreejesh ensured that it was no premature celebration.
6 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 7, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The brass band was playing a peppy tune when the two teams walked in exactly an hour before the start. Yves du-Manoir stadium is on the outskirts of the city, but the stands slowly filled up. Then the crowd took over. The noise was deafening when India and Germany squared up for the men’s hockey semifinal here on Tuesday evening, and the national anthems were played. What followed was an exciting game of hockey, fought on equal terms.
India, looking to make the final after 44 years, fell agonisingly short. They took the lead, trailed, equalised and finally conceded in the last quarter. 2-3. Well fought, but they will now meet Spain in the bronze medal match. Germany will take on The Netherlands for gold.
Defend to win has been India’s motto at these Games but they have not been shy of attacking, mostly through long balls. In the first quarter, India won back-to-back penalty corners in the second minute. The Germans defended stoutly. Then, in the seventh minute, India won back-to-back five penalty corners. The fifth yielded result. Harmanpreet had finally found a way past the sturdy German defence. 1-0.
The Germans pressed and attacked, keeping the Indian defence busy. The Indians were up to the task. The second quarter saw Germany dominate and make it count. They scored two goals, both coming through penalties – the first through a penalty corner, the second through a penalty stroke. Germany got their first PC in the 20th minute. Gonzalo Peillat, who earlier played for Argentina, was right on target. Germany won their second PC in the 26th minute. The hit caught Jarmanpreet’s foot on the goal-line. Christopher Ruehr beat India’s goalkeeper PR Sreejesh comfortably.
India were back in the game in the third quarter. They pressed hard, attacked in waves and earned four penalty corners in five minutes. Harmanpreet beat the German goalkeeper finally to make it 2-2 in the 36th minute. The attacks from both ends became intense now. The crowd was loving it. When the hooter went, India were on the attack from the right flank. In the fourth quarter, the desperation for the winner was obvious in both camps. The attacks became frantic. Germany got their third PC in the 46th minute. Sreejesh palmed it away. The rebound was stopped on the goal-line. The Indians fans could breathe easy. Germany got their fourth PC five minutes later. It was well saved by the defenders. The pressure on the Indian defence had increased.
In the 53rd minute, Lalit Upadhyay made a brilliant solo run but was foiled just outside the circle. The Germans counter-attacked and took the lead. Peillat’s hit inside the circle was guided home by Marco Miltkau. 3-2. Cries of “Deutschland, Deutschland” had become louder in the stands. With two minutes to go, goalkeeper Sreejesh was pulled out and replaced with a field player. India had to go all out in attack. Instead, Germany attacked and won a penalty corner. There was no goalkeeper in the Indian goal. But the brave Indian defenders stopped it.
On the counter, India entered the German circle, Shamsher Singh hit it hard but the ball went over the bar. That was the last shot of the match, coach Craig Fulton threw his laptop to the ground, and the Indian players couldn’t believe it. India had beaten Germany 5-4 at the Tokyo Games in 2021 to win the bronze medal, but this time it was not meant to be.
In the earlier semifinal, topranked Netherlands thrashed Spain 4-0. The Dutch will play in the men’s final after a gap of 12 years. Spain will be in the running to win a medal after 2008. India 2 (Harmanpreet Singh 7th min, Sukhjeet Singh 36th) lost to Germany 3 (Gonzalo Peillat 18th, Christopher Ruhr 27, Marco Miltkau 54)
8 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 9, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It was a roller-coaster last two weeks in Paris, but in the end at Yves du Manoir, everything fell into place. When a shot at gold was lost following a narrow defeat to Germany, things could have fallen apart. But Harmanpreet Singh’s boys were not ready to brood. They knew a bronze would mean a lot more than a mere consolation. A hungry Spain was in their way, but India were on a mission.
The bronze victory shows how well India have travelled in the past few years, how good they are. Ten of this bunch were there on the podium in Tokyo. They knew what was needed of them. They knew how to keep emotions in check. They knew how to win it. This team is special.
The Indians celebrated and soon got into a huddle, holding each other tight. Then the victory lap began. They first lifted Sreejesh, playing his farewell match, high in the air. The crowd roared its approval. Sreejesh has been the star performer of this team here, along with skipper Harmanpreet Singh. When the match began, in the first quarter, Spain made the first attack but were foiled easily. India took time to settle down and were soon running at their rivals. A good chance went abegging in the 6th minute. Mandeep Singh raced into the circle from the left and passed to an unmarked Sukhjeet, who hit it out.
In the ninth minute, skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s reverse hit from the left of the Spanish circle hit Gurjant Singh on the head, but thankfully there was no serious injury. India attacked towards the end of the quarter in waves, entered the circle but failed to make it count. Surprisingly, both teams failed to earn a penalty corner.
The second quarter started with a blow for India. In the 18th minute, Spain moved inside India’s circle, Manpreet fouled Gerard Clapes and the umpire pointed to the penalty stroke spot. Spain’s skipper Marc Miralles slotted it past Sreejesh. Spain earned two back-to-back PCs in the 20th minute but were denied by Indian defenders.
The intensity levels had gone up. Spain got their third PC but were foiled again.
Just when the quarter was in its final seconds, India struck. India earned their first PC but Amit Rohidas failed to score. In the last minute of the quarter, with just 15 seconds to go, India earned their second PC. Harmanpreet’s low, flat scorcher sounded the board. 1-1.
It soon became 2-1 in favour of India when they returned for the third quarter. They earned their third PC in the 33rd minute. Harmanpreet, who has nerves of steel, made it 2-1. Indian fans in the stands were chanting and singing now. The Indians earned their fifth PC the very next minute but were denied by Spanish defenders. Spain attacked more and came close to scoring in the 44th minute but Indian defenders were up to the task. India got their sixth PC soon after, but the Spanish goalkeeper made a brilliant save.
It was down to the last quarter. Could India defend their lead? Of course, they could. Spain started the quarter by winning a penalty corner but failed to make it count. Then a long hit from their own half found a forward standing unmarked next to the goal. He connected but just missed the goal.
It became frantic after that. Indian midfielder Hardik Singh got injured in the 49th minute and had to be assisted out. In the dying minutes, Sreejesh made two good saves. Spain kept winning PCs, India kept defending soundly. There was no panic. There was just belief. When Spain muffed up their ninth PC, the clock showed 44 seconds. The hooter soon went off.
As one walked out of the stadium and crossed the Indian dressing room, one could hear loud, happy voices of celebration. But it wasn’t just them. Most of the Indian media was not there when these men won the bronze in Tokyo — a hockey medal after 41 years. The world was in the grip of Covid then. Three years on, watching it live here was a goosebumps moment. A hockey med- al carries that special sheen. It will stay in the heart forever.
Dutch win gold in shootout
Meanwhile, the Netherlands beat Germany 3-1 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation time to win the gold medal in men’s hockey, with Duco Telgenkamp firing home the final penalty shot past goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg.
Rowing
28 July
July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s Balraj Panwar progressed to the quarterfinals of the men’s single sculls rowing competition after finishing second in Repechage 2 at the Paris Olympics here on Sunday. Panwar clocked 7 minutes 12.41 seconds to finish behind Monaco’s Quentin Antognelli who clocked 7:10:00. Indonesia’s Memo finished third with 7:19:60.
The first two finishers in each repechage qualify for the quarterfinals to be held on Tuesday.
Panwar remained consistent at the second spot crossing the 500m mark at 1:44:13, 1000m mark at 3:33:94 and 1500m at 5:23:22. He then crossed the 2000m mark in 7:12.41.
Shooting
27 July
ALOK SINHA, July 28, 2024: The Times of India
Chateauroux : It was a mad scramble on Saturday morning. Having returned way past midnight from the opening ceremony, it was a challenge to catch the 5.30 am train to this small, sleepy town 300km south of Paris.
After a two-hour ride, a cup of espresso outside the railway station helped clear the mind. Another half-an-hour bus ride later, we reached the shooting ranges, set up in the middle of nowhere.
It felt good to get the first feel of the action of Paris 2024 — the 10m air rifle mixed team event. The qualifications had begun, the hall was extremely crowded and a quick look at the scores gave hope.
Of the two pairs competing for India in the qualification round – Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal – the second pair was at No. 5 spot, just 0.5 points behind the fourth team. There were just three shots each left to go.
In the mixed events, only the top four qualify for the medals round – the top two fight for gold and silver while third and fourth battle for bronze.
When it got over, Arjun and Ramita had missed the medal round by just 0.9 point – 628.7 to 629.6. Both actually had a good series of 10+ shots, many over 10.5 but that is what fine margins are all about.
Sandeep and Elavenil too, did not shoot poorly (626.3) but could finish only 12th in a field of 28.
However, the good news came in the afternoon. Manu Bhaker kept her hot form going as she qualified for the final of the women’s 10m air pistol, finishing a creditable third in the qualifiers and raising hopes of getting India its first medal here. A little later in the mixed zone, Arjun and Ramita looked back at how close it was. “We shot well. Did all we could have done on the day. It went as we had visualized it, the way we had planned it,” Arjun said.
“I felt great about my shooting but got a bit disheartened by the fine margin. There was no lack of effort,” Arjun said, smiling through his disappointment.
Asked whether their team had started a bit slow – each player gets 30 shots in 30 minutes – Ramita said it was strategy. “We take time in the beginning to settle down and shoot faster towards the end. 15 shots in 10 minutes isn’t difficult for us. The idea is to stay in the moment. We felt comfortable out there,” she said.
Arjun, when asked if the competition felt different as this is the biggest stage, said: “I don’t see any difference. It is the same lane, the same zone, the same target.
Sandeep started with a scorching 10.8 but failed to stay at that level. It was good but failed to get enough high shots,” he said.
Elavenil was see taking a small break to speak with her coach Suma Shirur after her 15th shot. Asked about it, she explained: “I wanted to have a little talk. I was seeking her opinion. It helped me relax and refocus.”
Was she feeling the pressure? “This is my life. This is what I do. I shoot for hours. I gave my 100 per cent. There is no turning back. It is something like meditation for me.”
Later in the afternoon, in the men’s 10m air pistol qualification, Sarabjot Singh finished ninth and Arjun Singh Cheema 12th.
28 July
Alok Sinha, July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Chateauroux : There was a meltdown and there was a tenacious fightback. Two talented shooters, both in the scheme of things till the very end, ended up with very different emotions at the ranges here on Sunday. One was distressing to watch, the other made you smile.
It was the women’s 10m air rifle qualification. Two Indians were in the fray – Elavenil Valaviran, competing in her second Olympic Games, and Ramita Jindal, a newcomer. The first one lost it in the final series and crashed out, the other recovered to live and will return on Monday to fight for a medal. Ela, as the shooting fraternity calls her, looked confident and assured as she started with a score of 105.8 in the first series. She bettered it with a 106.1 and was among the top three.
In contrast, Ramita started with a poor 104.3 but shot a fantastic second series. The 106 took her back among the top 8. Ela slipped a bit in the third series with 104.4 but recovered well with 105.3 each in the fourth and fifth series. Ramita had identical fourth and fifth series. Both were in top 8 and the Indian camp was silently celebrating.
The final series was dramatic as it mostly is. Ela lost it here, somewhere. With 10 minutes in hand, and qualification in hand, Ela stopped for a while, took a couple of minutes to refocus. She got back to work and shot. The penultimate one was a horror – 9.8. That did her in. 103.8 was never going to be enough.
She walked away from her station, spoke to her coach for a brief while, stared hard at the scores, then put on her shades and sat down quietly. She didn’t move for a long period, just stared blankly at the targets in front of her. She looked shocked at the cruel turn of events. No one had the heart to reach out to her. She was all alone in that crowd. Just a few stations away, there were celebrations. Ramita finished with a flourish – a 105.7, which got her the total of 631.5 and the fifth position. She came out beaming and hugged her coach Suma Shirur. Some Indians inside the arena were celebrating loudly.
Babuta qualifies for 10m air rifle final
Shooter Arjun Babuta secured a spot in the 10m air rifle final finishing seventh in the qualification round. The 25-year-old Babuta shot a series of 105.7, 104.9, 105.5, 105.4, 104.0 and 104.6 to make the cut with a score of 630.1 .
31 July
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, August 1, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Indian shooters are truly on a roll. After Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, it was rifle shooter Swapnil Kusale who kept the Indian flag flying as he became the first Indian to enter the Olympics final in the men’s 50m rifle three positions at Chateauroux shooting ranges.
Kusale scored a total of 590 including 38x in the three positions. He shot 99 & 99 in prone, 98 & 99 in standing before slipping a bit in kneeling as he ended with a score of 96 & 99. Overall, it put him in seventh place as the top-8 from a field of 44 shooters advanced to the final. There were three shooters with a total of 590 but the Indian floundered and Czech Republic’s Jiri Privratsky went ahead with their higher count of inner circles. Jiri’s teammate Petr Nybursky endured a heartbreak despite scoring 590.
The 29-year-old from Kolhapur has been on the international scene for the last 12 years and on Wednesday he made his Olympic debut a memorable one. The final will be a different ball game with scores being reset to zero and Swapnil, a Railway officer, has a big chance on Thursday to join the glittering list of Indian shooters with Olympic medals. If he wins, it will be the third medal for India in shooting, bettering the London harvest of two.
The second Indian in the fray Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, though, disappointed as he ended 11th with a total of 589 (33x). He fired 100 & 99 but paid the price for a poor 95 & 98 in standing position. Despite a superb comeback with 98 & a perfect score of 100, Tomar failed to make the final. The 23-year-old was rated ahead of Kusale after his superb show at the Asian Games and recent form, but on Wednesday he failed to make it count.China’s Yukun Liu topped the qualifying round with a new Olympic record score of 594.
Rajeshwari, Shreyasi fail
In women’s trap women’s qualification round, India’s best bet Rajeshwari Kumari and Shreyasi Singh crashed out with below par scores. The two Indians finished with the same total of 113 but Rajeshwari finished 22nd on countback while Shreyasi was 23rd.
1 Aug
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, August 2, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Swapnil Kusale was a picture of calm as he battled on to clinch the Olympic bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions final on Thursday.
Much like his hero MS Dhoni, the Indian shooter seemed completely unfazed by all the drama that was unfolding. The consistency under extreme pressure had taken him this far and didn’t leave him just when it mattered. As the announcement finally happened that Czech Republic’s World No. 2 Jiri Privratsky would be eliminated from a fray of four, was there a hint of a smile on Swapnil’s face?
Probably it was. All those years of struggle were behind him, the Kolhapur boy was now an Olympic medal winner. A sense of satisfaction could just have crept in and it did come into play when the battle came down to settling the 1-2. Swapnil didn’t make the final cut, but the bronze had already been assured.
“I feel great. I was a little nervous and my heart is still racing. I’m proud to have brought home a bronze for India,” Kusale said, soaking in the moment.
At one point, Kusale, who qualified in seventh place, was even in contention for the silver but in the end, Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine had a narrow escape after 44 shots and that won him the medal.
China’s Yukun Liu, who equalled the Olympic record in the qualifying round on Wednesday, looked in a different orbit, shooting a perfect 10.9 on his 44th shot to secure the gold. The Chinese World No. 1 also holds the world record. The 28-year-old, who admitted to faster heartbeats and butterflies in the stomach before the 9.30 am final, had a modest start in the kneeling position as he opened with a 9.6 but bounced back quickly with four 10s. His worst shot in the second series was a 9.9 as he kept pace with the rest of the field. The Railways officer, trained by former India international Deepali Deshpande, improved further in the third series as he ended the kneeling position in the fifth spot.
Kusale’s morning devotional chants, a ritual before he starts any big match, and his mother’s prayers all seemed to have worked wonders as the Indian zoomed in on the target 50m away with amazing focus in the prone position. He had an exceptional start and fired a near perfect 10.8 with his second shot. Despite his high scores with all the 15 shots, he was still lying fifth with all the finalists firing high scores. The indoor arena took the weather factor out of the equation and it helped the underdogs to get a level-playing field.
The standing position — a series of 10 shots that’s considered hardest by former international shooters — saw Kusale falter twice with a 9.1 and 9.5 but three high scores of 10.6 and 10.7 in the rest helped him to stay in medal contention. The top shooters were still neck-and- neck and there was hardly anything to separate them. Norway’s Jon-Hermann Hegg, who was leading after the kneeling and prone series, stumbled in the standing position and soon dropped to fifth place.
Next was the high-pressure single shots and with that started the elimination process with Kusale lying third. The India No. 2 in the event opened with a 10.5 but then added 9.4, 9.9 and 10.0. It was time to decide the third place winner and Kusale had to exit with the bronze. His tally of 451.4 points just short of the 451.9 totalled by Kullish.
3 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 4, 2024: The Times of India
Chateauroux : A rollercoaster. That’s how Manu Bhaker described it later here on Saturday morning. Her bid for a historic third medal had ended in an agonizing finish. It must have left her feeling empty inside, but she did not show it. She has learnt not to show it. She was there, up there. And then she was not. A couple of poor shots, a couple of poor series – at the beginning and the end – and that was it. That’s sport for you.
When it all started, Manu looked confident when she walked up to station G inside the 25m pistol women’s final hall. The routine was the same, the rigour same. She set up her station, did some shadow shooting and was ready. Both hands in pocket, she waited.
The first series was a disaster. She was surely feeling the pressure. She shot 2/5 and found herself in the sixth position in the eight-woman field. A shrug of the shoulders, a fleeting look at her coach Jaspal Rana – sitting in the same seat in the stands when Manu won her first bronze – and she was back to the task. She was not giving up.
The second series brought her back. She was alive. 4/5 was just what she needed. She had jumped up to the fourth position. She shot another 4/5 in the third series and moved up to the second position. It was all falling into place. The fourth series was an average 3/5 and Manu slid to the sixth place, just a shot below three above her. But she was very near elimination. Another poor round and it would be all over.
But no, that was not the script. She shot a perfect 5/5 to move towards safety and a possible medal. She was now third on 18 points, a point behind Hungary’s Veronica Major and two behind South Korea’s Yang Jin who went on to win the gold medal.
The elimination had started, and Manu was way clear. In the sixth series, she got a 4/5, missing her last shot. But she was back to second, trailing the Korean by two points. The Indians in the stands had started celebrating.
The seventh series was again a brilliant 4/5. She stayed in the second spot, now just a point separating her from Jin. The roar in the right corner of the stands was deafening. The India corner.
This is where the course changed. A 3/5 could have kept Manu in the hunt for a silver medal, maybe even a gold. With the last four standing, she failed to hold her nerve. 2/5 and Manu found herself in a shoot-off with Major, both now on 28 points.
One poor series and it had come to that. Fingers crossed. In the shoot-off, Manu got the first two targets, missed the third and fourth and hit the last one. The Hungarian got four shots to win 4/3. Manu was out. She looked disappointed as she walked back to her corner and sat quietly, probably trying to figure out what went wrong.
But the Indian fans were still celebrating, chanting her name, clapping. They had travelled a long distance just to see her shoot, to back her, to show her love. The medal went missing in that single shot, but she was still a champion. A star was born at the shooting ranges here last Sunday. She shone bright the whole week.
Manu is just 22. Her journey from Tokyo 2021 to here has been a difficult one, full of sacrifices. She followed a rigid regimen, a strict diet, worked out hard in the gym and trained for hours and hours at the range. Pushed by her coach, she steeled herself to come out of a dark place and discover a new Manu.
Manu 2.0 has been a revelation. Very few who saw her crash badly in Tokyo were willing to back her. There were stories of indiscipline, all kinds of rumours. And to think she was just 19 then, mentally fragile, helpless. Alone. She went back to Rana and that changed her life. He held her hand, helped her heal and slowly moulded her into a tough cookie. She would crumble no more.
Manu Bhaker has come a long way, but her journey is incomplete. She wants more. India wants more.
4 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 4, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : India’s medal haul in shooting at the Olympics continued to be limited to pistol shooter Manu Bhaker’s two bronze medals as the rest of her compatriots found the going tough against the best in the world.
On Sunday, India’s challenge in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol came to an end in the qualification round as Vijayveer Sidhu and Anish Bhanwala crashed out, unable to produce their best.
While Sidhu ended 9th, Bhanwala came home in 13th spot. Both the Indians did well in Stage 1 as they shot identical scores of 293 each. But they failed to keep the momentum going in Stage 2, firing scores of 290 and 289 respectively at the Chatearoux National Shooting Centre near here. Sidhu ended with a total of 583 with 26x while Bhanwala tallied 582 with 22x.
Maheswari falters in fifth round
In the women’s skeet event, Maheshwari Chauhan finished in 14th spot after raising vi- sions of a final berth.
Resuming her fourth round on Sunday in the eight spot, the Indian shot down all the 25 clay birds for a perfect score to add to her tally of 23, 24 & 24 on Saturday.
But she buckled under pressure as she ended with a 22 — her worst score in all the five rounds — for a total of 118. Maheswari will now team up with Anant Jeet Singh Naruka in the skeet mixed team event on Monday.
5 Aug
Biju BabuCyriac, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It was heartbreak at Chateauroux once again for India. After Manu Bhaker missed out on the 25m pistol bronze by a whisker, it was the mixed skeet team of Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka’s turn to return empty-handed from the shotgun range. For a long time, the In- dian duo was in contention for a bronze, but China beat them 44-43. It was a creditable show for the Indians as they were not one of the favourites and with this, ends India’s most successful shooting campaign of all time in Olympics — which resulted in three bronze.
Italy won the mixed skeet gold beating the United States 45-44 in the gold medal match. In the third-place match, India were trailing 7-8 after the first series, where each shooter was allowed four shots. Soon the Indians caught up as China’s Yiting Jiang missed three of her shots in the second series and it ended 13-13. The third series saw both the men — Naruka and China’s Jianlin Lyu — powder all the four birds but the women missed one each and the scores were again level at 20-20.
Swimming
28 July
July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Nanterre : India’s swimming campaign at the Paris Olympics came to an end with both Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu failing to progress to the semifinals of their respective events here on Sunday. Nataraj finished jointsecond in the slower heat with a timing of 55.01s but the 23-year-old was 33rd in the overall standing for the 100m men’s backstroke event.
The 16 fastest swimmers from the heats qualify to the semifinals. Nataraj’s showing was far from his personal best of 53.77s and was considerably slower than his season best time of 54.68s. Making her Olympic debut, 14-year-old Dhinidhi, the youngest member of the Indian contingent, did well to top her 200m women’s freestyle heat. Swimming in heat 1, which is the slowest heat, Dhinidhi touched the pads at 2:06.96. She finished 23rd out of 30 participants. PTI
Table Tennis
28 July
July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal made a shock exit from the Paris Olympics men’s singles competition but star woman player Manika Batra started her campaign with a 4-1 win in a round of 64 match. Kamal lost 2-4 (12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12) to Deni Kozul of Slovenia ranked 86 places below him in a round of 64 match that lasted 53 minutes.
The 29-year-old Manika, on the other hand, dominated Anna Hursey of Great Britain and won 11-8, 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5 over Hursey.
Earlier in the day, India’s top-ranked woman paddler Sreeja Akula entered the round of 32 with a clinical 4-0 win over Sweden’s Christina Kallberg. Sreeja, who had created history by becoming the first Indian paddler to win a WTT Contender singles title, registered a 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 victory in 30 minutes over the Sweden.
30 July
Amit Sampat, July 31, 2024: The Times of India
Manika Batra surprised world No. 18 and French favourite Prithika Pavade to deliver India’s best show in table tennis by becoming the first Indian paddler to reach the last 16 stage in the Olympic Games. Prithika, of Indian origin, was born in Paris a year after her parents shifted to France in 2003. On her way to achieve the historic feat, the 29-year-old Manika gave a ruthless display of backhand play and handed the French paddler an early exit from the women’s singles with a straight 4-0 win.
For the first time since table tennis was introduced in Olympics during the Seoul Games in 1988, no Indian paddler ever was able to break into the last-16 stage of the competition. Manika achieved the rare feat by winning her round-of-32 clash against the Indian origin Prithika in 37 minutes. After taking time to settle into her groove, the world No. 28 Manika outclassed 19-year-old Prithika 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 at the South Paris Arena 4 of the French capital late on Monday night. Manika said, “I am really happy and feel blessed to reach the round of 16. It was one of the best matches, playing and winning against a French player in France was amazing. My focus is to play every match with my best effort and enjoy the Olympics. I was not thinking about creating history. I will take one match at a time and give my best as I always do.”
Manika will now face the winner of the clash between World no. 13 Miu Hirano of Japan and Hong Kong China’s Zhu Chengzhu.
31 July
Alok Sinha, August 1, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : After Manika Batra’s history making performance two days ago, there was expectation of another surprise at the Paris South Arena.
Manika lost 1-4 to Japanese opponent Miu Hirano who is ranked No. 13 in the world. Hirano became the youngest world champion in 2016 at the age of 16and has been at the top for years. It was a very difficult test for Manika. Still, after the match, one was left with the feeling of what could have been. Manika made errors, which made her job that much more difficult.
In the first game, Manika started with a service error. She recovered and stayed with the Japanese till 6-6 and then lost her rhythm. The Japanese won 11-6.
Hirano, who serves and smashes in the old-fashioned way, thumping her foot on the floor, also made some errors and found herself in a tight situation in the second game. Manika started the game with a flourish, hitting winners on both sides of the table to take a 5-1 lead. The Japanese got hold of her game and hit three clear winners to get level. At 9-9, Manika found her two forehand drives missing the table. Hirano went 2-0 up with 11-9 win.
The third game gave belief that Manika could take the contest all the way. She led 7-2 at one stage and despite losing the lead, she managed to win 14-12 after the game went to deuce (10-10).
Game 4 was like the first two games. Manika was in the fight at 6-6 but lost 8-11. Hirano made the next game the decider by winning it 11-6.
“I think I could have played better. I was trying to give my best but not happy with how I started. After winning the third game, me and my coach felt I could beat her. But she played very well, very cleverly. I learnt a lot of things in this game,” Manika said later.
“I should have stayed more relaxed, but I was eager to win points, dictate. It did not happen,” she added.
Her coach Massimo Costantini said he was happy with Manika’s performance in the competition here. “Manika played well. When things don’t work out, you have to consider the fact that the opponent maybe had played better. Sport is not one-sided. Yes, there were two-three situations which could have been capitalized better by Manika. She failed to find the key. It was a good opportunity. Also, the Japanese girl was very well prepared. This is just the beginning for me. I want Manika to be top 10,” the coach said.
Sreeja fights on
Even as Manika crashed out, Sreeja Akula celebrated her birthday by reaching the pre-quarterfinals. Sreeja rallied to win 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10. Sreeja will take on China’s World No. 1 Sun Yingsha in the round of 16.
5 Aug
Amit Sampat, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Manika Batra’s flawless execution played a pivotal role in India’s remarkable 3-2 victory over fourth-seed Romania as the women’s table-tennis team — marking their debut entry in the Olympics — advanced to the quarterfinals.
Action at the South Paris Arena saw a thrilla-minute round-of-16 clash between 11th-ranked India and experienced Romania. While India raced away with a handy 2-0 lead, Romania fought their way back to bring parity at 2-2 by winning the third and fourth singles ties.
With the pressure mounting, India’s fate rested on the shoulders of the 28thranked Manika. The 29-year-old rose to the occasion, delivering a flawless performance in the deciding match and clinching victory without dropping a single game. The entertaining round-of-16 clash lasted for two hours and 20 minutes. Manika raced to her mates for a hug after winning the decider 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 against lower-ranked Adina Diaconu.
In the quarterfinal, India will face the winner of Germany and USA.
Earlier, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath gave India a flying start. In the doubles opener, the Indian duo prevailed over Diaconu and Elizabeta Samara 11-9, 12-10, 11-7. Manika stretched India’s lead to 2-0 when she surprised world No. 10 Bernadette Szocs 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 in just 22 minutes. World No. 25 Sreeja fought well but went down fighting against 43rd-ranked Elizabeta Samara. Sreeja lost the 39-minute tie 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 6-11, 8-11. Szocs then defeated Archana 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 as Romania levelled the scores.
Tennis
28 July
July 29, 2024: The Times of India
Sumit Nagal squandered his chances while going down to local favourite and World No. 68 Corentin Moutet 2-6, 6-2, 5-7 in the first round of men’s singles at the Paris Olympics on Sunday. Nagal nosed ahead for an early 2-0 lead in the decider but let the Frenchman back into the match by following it up with a lame serving game.
Moutet brought up the crucial break in the 11th game with a series of outrageous winners before serving out the match without much fuss.
Nagal, who had beaten Moutet in their most recent meeting in Marrakech on the ATP Tour in April, stayed solid for the most part of the match but it was the latter’s audacious brilliance that eventually decided the outcome.
The 25-year-old had 49 unforced errors to Nagal’s 36 in the 2 hour 29 minute match, but he also hit 27 winners compared to the Indian’s 15. Left-handed Moutet, who had just over a month back had reached the fourth round of the French Open where he went down to World No. 1 Janik Sinner in four sets, employed his drop shots to upset Nagal’s rhythm and also varied his flanks to neutralise the Indian’s inside-out forehands. TNN
29 July
Prajwal Hegde, July 30, 2024: The Times of India
At 44 years of age, Rohan Bopanna has played his last match in an India jersey. Late on Sunday, Bopanna and Sriram Balaji bowed out of the men’s doubles event of the Olympic Games, falling 5-7, 2-6 to the French pairing of Gael Monfils and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
Bopanna’s last dance in India colours couldn’t have come at a more beloved venue for the strapping Kodava. Roland Garros was where he won his first Grand Slam title, back in 2017 in the mixed doubles when he partnered Gabriela Dabrowski. It was a coming of age stage for him.
The news itself is hardly surprising given that Bopanna retired from Davis Cup last year in the midst of a stellar season on the ATP Tour which he capped by claiming the Australian Open men’s doubles title along with the world No. 1 ranking in Melbourne Park in January.
Bopanna, who along with his Australian partner Matthew Ebden, will feature in the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal next, called his India innings that lasted over two decades, ‘a dream that turned into reality.’
“As an aspiring tennis player, you want to play for India, that’s the first thought you have,” Bopanna told TOI from Paris. “And when I first got that call in 2002 little did I think I would be still playing for India 22 years later. It requires dedication and commitment. Nobody will take you in a team just like that, you have to earn your spot in a team, you have to have the ranking.”
Despite not finishing with an Olympic medal, Bopanna takes pride in the fact that Indian tennis rode on his ranking for an entry into the Olympic field in 2016 (ranked No.10) and eight years later in 2024 (ranked No.4). “I’m proud of the fact that I have competed relentlessly for over two decades, I’m proud that I could make the sacrifices count,” he said. “In the end, while it is you who are out there competing, the family too sacrifices a lot. First it was my parents, then it was my wife Supriya. It’s been tough on them, especially after the birth of our daughter Tridha, you become an absentee father, but Supriya managed all of that so well that I could continue. Can still continue on the Tour.”
Weightlifting
7 Aug
Alok Sinha, August 8, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : South Paris Arena is spread across 35 hectares. It is a hub of convention centres, a part of the Paris Expo. Found myself inside Hall 6 after a frantic walk through a sea of bodies. This looked like the busiest venue at the Paris Games. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu had just walked on the stage during the introduction to loud applause; she was No. 10 on the competition list in a field of 12. But that number did not matter. The Indian lifter who won a silver at Tokyo Games was in medal contention. She always is. Sadly, she finished fourth, just 1kg behind her Thai rival who took bronze.
In the snatch, which has pulled her down sometimes, becoming the difference between gold and silver, Mirabai finally ended the jinx of 85kg. She lifted 85kg in her first try. She looked comfortable. But she missed when the bar was raised to 88kg on her second try.
She returned determined. On her third try, she snatched the barbell well, sat on her haunches for a while and got up for a ‘good lift’. Who knows, if she had managed 88kg in the second, she could have gone for 89 or 90kg.
Mirabai finished third in snatch. Tied with her was Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao. They were behind Valentin Cambei of Romania (93) and Hou Zhihui of China who lifted 93kg. The gap with the leader was 5kg. The real battle had begun. The fight for the medals was between these four ladies.
Clean and jerk is where Mirabai shows her true mettle. Her first try began at 111kg. Before that Cambei started with 106kg and went for 110kg on her second try. Zhou and Suradchana also cleared 110kg.
Mirabai then came in, touched the barbell and her forehead in a personal prayer, then went for it. She missed it. But she returned and cleared it on her second try. She had a total of 199kg. A medal was looking likely. She missed 114kg on her third try and waited for Zhou who was tied with her with two tries to go. Zhou and Mirabai were tied at 199kg after her second try. She lifted 117kg on her third try to win the gold with 206kg. Cambei was second and the Thai girl won bronze, a kg ahead of Mirabai.
Wrestling
Men
8 Aug
BIJU BABUCYRIAC, Aug 9, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Young wrestler Aman Sehrawat raised hopes of a gold medal as he stormed into the semifinals of the men’s 57kg freestyle event in style. But he was stopped on his tracks in the semis by vastly experienced Japan’s Rei Higuchi at the Champ-de-Mars arena here on Thursday. The defeat, though, won’t stop Aman from fighting for the bronze.
The 21-year-old, the lone Indian wrestler in the men’s section, was full of confidence ahead of his evening bout after posting two big wins to race through the pre-quarters and quarterfinals.
In the opening bout of the day, he had Vladimir Egorov of North Macedonia on the backfoot soon. At the end of the first period, the wrestler was leading 6-0 on technical points and it soon became 10-0 in the second period. The victory was awarded to the Indian on technical superiority.
In the quarterfinal, Sehrawat lined up against Albanian Zelimkhan Abakarov and the result was another stunning victory much to the delight of the Indian contingent, who were still in a shock after Vinesh was disqualified for being 100g overweight. This time the verdict was 12-0 in the Indian’s favour as he rattled up the points over the two periods.
The first period saw an even contest till the Indian took a 3-0 lead. The start of the second period was even more one sided as he reeled off the points pinning down his opponent and turning him over repeatedly. It earned another technical superiority win for Sehrawat.
A former India coach called it an extraordinary performance by the Indian against Abakarov, a former world champion, who was born in Russia but later took Albanian citizenship in 2021. “It was a super fight by Aman. He had lost to Akabarov at the Senior World Championships. It was the qualifying tournament for the Olympics and he had lost 0-10. Today, Aman was in fine form as he took revenge,” the coach told TOI after watching the Indian in action. Akbarov contested the last two points awarded to the Indian but the referee was unmoved.
But Sehrawat’s fine show came to an end against the Japanese who ensured the Indian’s defeat in the first period itself. Sehrawat tried his best but it was not enough to trouble the vastly experienced Higuchi who won the Olympic silver medal at the Rio Games and the World Championship in 2022. “It was a slow bout. Aman lost as he failed to stop any of the attacks by the Japanese,” the coach added.
On Friday, Sehrwat will get a chance to clinch a medal when he takes on Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico for the bronze. Cruz is also an experienced wrestler having won the bronze at the Pan American Games.
Anshu loses in pre-quarters
In the women’s 57kg bout, India’s Anshu Malik’s campaign ended in the pre-quarters as she lost to USA’s Helen Louise Maroulis 2-7. In what was a rematch of the 2021 Worlds final in Oslo, Norway where the Indian settled for the silver, the 32-year-old American, Rio winner and Tokyo bronze medallist, asserted her supremacy in Paris too.
9 Aug
August 10, 2024: The Times of India
On Friday evening, at the Champs de Mars stadium, a makeshift arena right next to the Eiffel Tower, Aman Sehrawat took on Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in the 57kg freestyle bronze medal match, a weight category in which Ravi Dahiya had won silver for India in Tokyo.
Aman dominated his seasoned 29-yearold rival, a three-time medallist at the Pan American Games. After an initial contest, he won comfortably at 13-5. The bronze medal was India’s, the country’s fifth medal at the Games here. In the first period, Cruz took the lead by grabbing Aman’s left leg and pushing him out of the orange circle. 1-0. Aman tried hard to draw level and went up 2-1 soon as he pinned Cruz to the mat. Cruz returned the compliment to go 3-2 up.
It was very close at this stage. But Aman started gaining confidence and started attacking more, lunging at Cruz’s legs to get the crucial points. He managed to do that midway through the period, to get two points for a 4-3 lead. The Puerto Rican seemed to be tiring now and just before the hooter, Aman got a good grip, Cruz went down to avoid a takedown and Aman was 6-3 ahead.
In the second period, Cruz came back determined and got two points. Aman was just a point ahead at 6-5 now. It could have gone either way, but Aman was not giving up. He took two points to go 8-5 ahead. There were just two minutes left for the final hooter. He was looking in control.
At this point, Cruz opted for a break, pointing to his left knee. He was trying to catch his breath against the young Indian. After the medical assistance, Cruz was back on the mat, looking a bit tired. Aman saw that and went in for the kill. His strategy was simple. He attacked his rival by grabbing his leg, forcing him to go down and then got on top for two points.
With a minute and 7 seconds to go, it was 10-5. With just 45 seconds left, it became 12-5. There was no way Cruz was coming back. Aman secured another point to emerge an easy winner and ran to his coach to celebrate his medal. Hailing from village Birohar in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, Aman had a keen interest in mud wrestling as a kid. The move to the mat changed his life. The 21-year-old, the lone Indian in the men’s section, had a good outing on Thursday here, posting two big wins to race through the pre-quarters and quarterfinals of the 57kg freestyle. In the quarterfinals, Sehrawat was up against Albania’s Zelimkhan Abakarov. The verdict was 12-0 in the Indian’s favour as he rattled up the points over the two periods. He had lost to Akabarov at the senior World Championships.
Wrestling
Women
5 Aug
Sabi Hussain, August 6, 2024: The Times of India
Nisha Dahiya looked set to secure a semifinal berth in the women’s wrestling 68kg division in her debut Olympic Games on Monday. She had scored a come-from-behind victory in her pre quarterfinal against Ukraine’s Sova Rizhko 6-4 after trailing 1-4 at half time and looked in menacing touch while taking on North Korean Sol Gum Pak in her last-eight contest.
With Nisha leading 8-1 with less than a minute left on the clock, all that the Indian required was to defend her points. Right then, Nisha injured the little finger of her right hand and called for medical attention as she cried out in pain. The doctors strapped her finger as the 25-year-old from Haryana’s Adiyana village continued to fight. In between, Gum Pak sneaked out a point to narrow the lead to 2-8.
With only 33 seconds left, Nisha suffered another, much more serious injury in right arm, a result of intense grappling between the two wrestlers. Nisha looked in immense pain and called for medical attention a second time as the doctors applied pain relief spray on her injured arm. On the other hand, the judges cautioned the North Korean for her dangerous play.
Despite looking in extreme discomfort, Nisha chose to grapple but the injury affected her momentum and ability to fight. Desperately looking for a comeback, the 18-year-old North Korean took advantage of the situation and executed multiple roll-throughs to tie the score at 8-8 with just 12 seconds remaining.
Writhing in pain and crying inconsolably, Nisha called for her third medical timeout. The doctors advised her against continuing with the bout. But she refused to walk off and chose to fight till the end. However, her vulnerability allowed Gum Pak to score a crucial takedown to seal the bout 10-8.
A heartbroken Nisha slumped to the ground while crying in pain as well as due to the realisation that she had missed a golden opportunity to win an Olympics medal. She can still contest for a medal through Tuesday’s repechage round if Gum Pak makes the final. Besides, she will have to get match-fit quickly.
6 Aug
SIDDHARTH SAXENA, August 7, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Chastised, sullied, derided, outnumbered and wrestled to the ground by police of her capital city for daring to stand up against alleged sexual harassment in the wrestling establishment, Vinesh Phogat did the unthinkable here in Paris.
Ignored and shunned back home, Vinesh was suddenly queen of the mat, storming out of simply nowhere to become the first Indian woman to enter an Olympic wrestling final. After making short work of Cuban Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinals, she meets Sarah Ann Hilderbrandt of the US on Wednesday in a final that will carry a million more overtones than just a gold medal. It will be the fittest reply, the loudest riposte to brazen institutional apathy and political indifference.
Once pretty and sunny-faced, now hard-jawed, Vinesh endured as she fought and protested age-old patriarchy. Today, when the chance came, she quietly went about her task in stoic silence and staggering efficiency. It was deafening in its effect as far as political symbolism goes.
A strange fire burnt within her on Tuesday. Maybe, no, surely, it has been burnished by sitting for hours in the sun, rain and cold of Jantar Mantar. It was primal, poetic, terrifyingly beautiful to watch, just like a rebirth that you’d never expect. Nothing in Indian sport can match what Vinesh has achieved with her gold-medal shot in Paris for the thousands of girls in Indian sport. She has left the establishment with no choice but to listen, because if you don’t listen to a bona fide Olympic champion, then how do you possibly tell the world anything? Twice, earlier in the day, she had stomped off the mats, into the tunnel, to the athletes’ area, in some strange tunnel vision of her own, head bowed, shutting off the world. A woman forever angry at the world and its injustices, past caring — that haircut like an ill-fitting wig picked in a hurry – and slowly losing the strength and will to fight back. But in truth, Vinesh was all walking defiance on Tuesday.
Maybe India’s true Olympics began on Tuesday, its real story – away from the cynosure — on Mat B of the makeshift wrestling arena of the sprawling Champs de Mars Arena. And a Japanese World No. 1 in the opening round who till now didn’t know the meaning of losing, left shocked and tearful like some odd tangent on the yellow circumference of the area.
Vinesh had, back against the wall, lashed out at the last, opportune moment, with venom and patience of an old-timer to topple an opponent who was 82-0 going into this bout, and 2-0 ahead at the death. That her rival was defending Olympic champion — having won gold in her home Games in Tokyo without dropping a point — that she was world No 1 and that she had never lost to a non-Japanese rival, would soon be things of the past.
After that, Vinesh was going to change her corner, and her approach — more assertive here than the game of wrestling chess in the first — to outlast a Ukrainian challenge.
If it was doing something for her, it would prove cathartic for the handful of Indians watching, waiting. One would be lying if there wasn’t a little lump in the throat, a little sting felt in the eye when she mouthed, without looking up, a “thank you, sir,” to the “super, super show, Vinesh!” as she stomped past — so tiny and stodgy in her singlet but so unbelievably huge that you’d cower in her presence. Vinesh, famously, doesn’t talk anymore. On Tuesday, she was half-nodding your fervent, genuine hat-tip to her.
How the tables have turned. In a new weight category after relinquishing her 53-kg spot to Antim Panghal, it was expected that the unseeded Vinesh would resort to the luck of the repechage after being drawn in the opener against Yui. The Japanese, who went by an unreal 94-0, if you believe a currently disbelieving Japanese media contingent here, pinned her hopes on the Indian, going all the way in the hope to salvage some of the pride that took a serious dent today.
Vinesh had to hustle to quieten Oksana Livach, the plucky Ukrainian, in the quarterfinal. It was a charge of such astonishing power and intent, with less than 18 seconds remaining in the opening bout after doing nothing but sitting back and waiting, that destroyed Yui.
The Japanese sat immobile, suitably dazed while at the other end, in another orbit, a sprawled Vinesh bawling away only to herself, her shaking body visible to the entire arena. Did a festive world gathered in sunny Paris know what her fight, those tears, really was all about? Did it all come down only to a possible medal in the tally? If so, then how much of it would be India’s and how much her own, only her own?
Because when Vinesh cried on the streets of the Capital in her fight for justice, she was alone. Vinesh was an outsider in this Indian Olympic contingent which has been inundated by wishes for success and buoyed by happy, hopeful corporate and political support. No one touched her with a barge pole, despite her undeniable credentials as she was forever defined by those famous weeks of protests.
Now, a suddenly unfamiliar destiny, a self-hewn one, awaits her, after having wrestled her way to an Olympic medal. Now, when the phone rings, will Vinesh answer?
7 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 8, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : It was a pleasant morning. There was hope in the heart, the coffee smelt good. The daily fight to get ready, catch the metro and reach the competition venue didn’t seem that daunting. Something had happened last night that had lifted the spirits.
But it all changed with a simple, yet chilling message: “Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified.” It was a bolt from the blue. A sense of disbelief took over. What happened? She had failed to maintain her weight and was found to be nearly 100 grams overweight.
It was cruel. To put 100g in perspective, that’s how much abar of soap or two eggs weigh. Vinesh had waged epic battles. She led the protest against the federation chief, took him to court for alleged sexual harassment. She slept on the street at Jantar Mantar and faced police’s hostility.
She could not train for almost a year, but there was this unfinished business. She returned to the mat. She failed to qualify in the 53kg category, her category, and settled for 50kg. She had to be in Paris.
How did this mishap happen? Vinesh had no trouble at Tuesday morning’s weigh-in. Amidst three back-to-back bo- uts, she kept replenishing with fluids and some food. That’s a normal routine amid multiple exhausting contests But it adds to body weight. Wrestlers and their support staff know that. It is always a challenge.
Vinesh did not speak to media after winning her semifinal against her Cuban rival Tuesday evening. Her eyes signalled she had much to say.“Kal baat karoongi (Will talk tomorrow),” she said, secure in the fact that she was the first Indian woman wrestler in an Olympics gold medal fight. But she added, “Weight manage karna hai abhi.” She knew she had crossed the limit. They all do. It was going to be a challenge. Sources said she was 2.7kg above limit. She didn’t sleep. She jogged, cycled, sat in the sauna, did everything to “manage” her weight. She failed. The world around her had crumbled.
The number of medals
August 6, 2024
7.30am (Paris time) | In the official ‘first weigh-in’, Vinesh logs 49.9kg before her firstround bout. During the day, she has a small meal & snacks to sustain through 3 bouts, but her weight rises to 53kg
7.30pm | Vinesh wins the match against Cuban Yusneylis Guzman Lopez to enter the 50kg final, becoming the first Indian female wrestler to reach the stage at Olympics
9-9.30pm | Support staff finds Vinesh’s weight is 52.7kg, 2.7kg above her limit
9.30pm onwards | Panic in Vinesh’s camp. Frantic efforts are made to get her weight down to 50kg before the second weigh-in at 7.30am Wednesday
August 7, 2024
Midnight to 6am | Vinesh endures a sleepless night, completely abstaining from food and water. She’s put in a steam and sauna room. Exercises and runs on treadmill wearing a sauna suit. When she can’t sweat anymore, her team cuts off her hair
6am | Vinesh needs urgent medical attention with fatigue setting in due to extreme dehydration and possible electrolyte imbalance
7.30am | The official ‘second weigh-in’ for wrestlers begins at the Games village, conducted by UWW (wrestling’s international body) officials
7.45am | Vinesh fails to meet the weight requirement despite readings taken multiple times within the weigh-in period. She weighs in at 50.1 kg, above the limit by just 100 grams
8am onwards | Vinesh in hospital. IV fluids administered and she has a small meal. Parameters gradually return to normal IT’S PART OF THE GAME — Vinesh tells Indian coaches after her disqualification
INDIA LODGES PROTEST
➤ IOA lodges strong protest with world wrestling body (UWW) over the disqualification; PM asks IOA chief P T Usha to take ‘appropriate action’, posts on X, “Vinesh...Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you”
TODAY’S MEDAL MATCHES
➤ 5.30pm (IST): India take on Spain in men’s hockey bronze medal match
➤ 11.55pm: All eyes on Neeraj Chopra in men’s javelin throw final
7 August: II
Alok Sinha, August 8, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : The Vinesh Phogat storm was still raging when Antim Panghal came to the Champs de Mars wrestling arena here on Wednesday afternoon. She is very young, will be 20 on August 31, but already a big name in her weight category, the 53kg, which was once owned by Vinesh in India.
Antim had qualified for Paris by winning the bronze medal at the World championship last year. Before that she had two world junior medals in her bag. Her Paris qualification had forced Vinesh to go for 50kg trials and qualify for the Olympics.
She started as a 10-year-old, backed by her parents and elder sister Sarita. Her rise was well planned by the family, which stayed by her side all the time. She was groomed to become a champion.
Technically sound, Antim, seeded four at the Games here, was seen as a serious medal prospect back home. Here, she was completely dominated and destroyed by her Turkish rival Zeynep Yetgil, a two-time European Championships bronze winner. It was all over in a few seconds, 90 to be precise.
Antim began cautiously even as Yetgil went into the attack. The unseeded Turkish grappler executed a takedown for two points and then flipped Antim again to go 4-0 up in the opening minute. Yetgil then scored six points in the next few seconds to wrap up the bout 10-0 on technical superiority. It looked like a fight between a pro and an amateur. Antim never got into the fight. It’s possible that the events at the Games Village in the morning had unsettled her. The Indian delegation was in a shock after Vinesh’s disqualification. It had surely affected Antim.
She broke down after being hopelessly outclassed. A few minutes later, she was still crying, weeping bitterly as she hurried out of the mixed zone to the comfort of the waiting team bus. It was a brutal ending for Antim, a disappointing outcome on a dark day for Indian wrestling here.
8 Aug
Sabi Hussain, August 9, 2024: The Times of India
New Delhi : Barely hours after Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics came another shocker for the Indian wrestling camp — Antim Panghal, touted as a probable medal winner in the women’s 53kg division, – crashed out after suffering a humiliating 10-0 defeat against Turkey’s Zeynep Yetgil in her opening bout.
It has now come to light that Antim starved herself for 48 hours ahead of her bout to pass the weigh-in. Antim didn’t eat a morsel of food and had minimum water intake, leaving her body weak and completely dehydrated.
Antim was overweight ahead of her bout and wanted her masseur and dietician, sister Nisha, to manage her meal intake. Since Nisha was staying outside the village as she wasn’t part of the official contingent, Antim was virtually left on her own to manage the weight. The starvation left Antim bereft of energy when she took the mat against Yetgil and it was no surprise that she lost tamely.
10 Aug
ALOK SINHA, August 11, 2024: The Times of India
Paris : Indian women wrestlers have made waves in the lower weight categories for years, with the likes of the Phogat sisters and Sakshi Malik making their mark. There are very few who compete in the heavyweight division and make the heads turn. Reetika Hooda, the 22-year-old from Rohtak, is one from the rare breed.
Reetika has followed in the footsteps of Kiran Bishnoi, who won bronze at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. Reetika is seen as a pioneer in women’s wrestling in the country as she is the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympics in the heavyweight category. She also became the first In- dian female U-23 world wrestling champion in the 76kg class after beating Kennedy Blades (USA) in the final last year. Reetika’s journey in the Games ended on Saturday as Aiperi Medet of Kyrgyzstan, who had beaten Reetika in the quarterfinal, lost to Kennedy Blades of USA in the semis. If Medet had reached the final, Reetika would have had a shot at the bronze medal on Sunday through the repechage round. Still, Reetika showed why she is rated so high.
She met Hungary’s Nagy Bernadett first, in the round of 16, and won it with ease. Reetika took some time to assess her opponent, the 2022 European champion in this weight category, and went into the attack right away. She was up 4-0 in the first period. She conceded two points then, the only time she looked a little vulnerable. After that the points kept coming in India’s corner. 6-2, 10-2, 12-2. With 29 seconds to go, the referee stopped the contest. The next one, the quarterfinal, was seriously tough. The draw had not been kind to her. She was up against , the top seed here. She fought hard, with a lot of courage and even took the lead but conceded that due to passive play. The Kyrgyz girl won on countback.
Reetika was cautious when it all began. She had decided to be defensive and not give an opening to her rival. In the initial minutes, Medet went for a dangerous double-leg attack. Reetika was vulnerable but she held firm, using all her might to keep a firm grip on her rival. At the three-minute break the deadlock had not been broken.
Medet was waiting for an opening, having realised that Reetika was holding firm. The referee kept telling both to attack. Soon, Reetika won her point. Medet was penalised for passivity. This was the time when Reetika could have probably attacked more. She played safe, not wanting to let her guard down and was penalised for passivity. 1-1. Medet was ahead on countback.
In the last minute, Reetika tried to push Medet out of the ring to get that one crucial point. The Kyrgyz managed to turn around at the edge. The chance was gone. The upset the Indians had hoped for did not happen. The Indian women’s national coach Virender Singh Dahiya was upset at how it had turned out. “She probably had been told that she should be cautious as she was up against the top seed. You don’t win by defending against such a wrestler. Reetika was so good. She did not leave the grip, did not give her rival any room to attack. But after having won the point, she should have attacked,” he said.
A summing up
4th position/ One step below a bronze
Source: Critical Analysis of India performance in Paris 2024/ Confederation of Sports and Recreation Industry.
Indpaedia.com says: Eight Indian individuals/ teams finished one step below a bronze medal. Not to mention the history-making ninth who reached the finals but did not get a medal.
Shooting
4th Place finishes: 3
Arjun Babuta (Men’s 10m Air Rifle)
Manu Bhaker (Women’s 25m Pistol)
Maheshwari Chauhan and Anantjeet Naruka (Mixed Team Skeet)
Archery
4th place
1 (Mixed Archery team – Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat)
Badminton
4th place
1 (Lakshya Sen – Men’s Singles Badminton)
Boxing
2 Quarterfinals
(In boxing, reaching the semifinals assures a medal))
Lovlina Borgohain (Women’s 75 kg)
Nishant Dev (Men’s 71 kg)
Weightlifting
4th place: 1
Mirabai Chanu (Women’s 49 kg)
Neeraj Chopra on Six Indians who ranked 4th
Neeraj Chopra, August 12, 2024: The Times of India
...As many as 22 of the 117-member contingent — including the 16-member hockey team — will return home with medals from Paris 2024.
India’s improved show is reflected by six fourth-place finishes and one heartbreaking disqualification, a medal that was assured, along with the six we won. Back in the time when legends like Milkha Singh (1960) and PT Usha (1984) got fourth place, both made history and became national role models. Today, in one Olympics, we have seven such athletes who could have won a medal and 15 athletes who made it to the quarterfinals.
This is in comparison to just two fourth-place finishes in Tokyo. This shows that as a nation, our sporting prowess has significantly evolved. As a nation that has just started to invest heavily in sports — providing world-class facilities to athletes — in the last decade, we must be patient to see these fourth-places convert to medals. I am sure in the next Olympics, many of these athletes and newer ones will bag medals for India. Arjun Babuta, Ankita Bhakat, B Dhiraj, Maheshwari Chauhan, Anant Jeet Singh, Manu’s third medal miss and of course Vinesh, these are athletes whose achievements should be celebrated.
PMG
Indians At The Games
As on the opening day
July 26, 2024: The Times of India
117 Indian athletes for the Games.
70 Male athletes competing from the country.
47 Women athletes competing from the country.
140 Support staff and officials from India.
69 Events that Indians will compete in.
44 The age of tennis doubles ace Rohan Bopanna, the oldest among Indian athletes.
14 Karnataka swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu, is the youngest Indian in fray.
24 The number of athletes from Haryana, the highest in the state-wise distribution
5 Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, and the men’s hockey team are looking to repeat their podium finish from the previous Olympics.
1 Badminton ace PV Sindhu (silver in 2016 and bronze in 2020), is the only multi-Olympic medal athlete among Indians.
Hiccups
Wrestling woes
Sabi Hussain, August 12, 2024: The Times of India
India in Paris will be remembered for Vinesh Phogat. She won and lost in equal measure — there wasn’t a medal to show for the 50 kg wrestler — but the brave Vinesh ensured that she will be one of India’s most talked-about sportspersons of all time.
She was one of six Indian wrestlers who competed in Paris – Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), Nisha Dahiya (68kg) and Reetika Hooda (76kg) in the women’s category and Aman Sehrawat (57kg) in the male category. Their preparation going into Olympics wasn’t the best due to reasons well-documented — there were no national camps — and at the end of the day, it was Aman, who trained at Chhatrasal Akhada under his personal coach till last Saturday, who won India a bronze.
Reetika, too, impressed in her debut Games but Antim and Anshu disappointed. Nisha’s campaign ended abruptly after suffering a severe shoulder injury.
Experts, however, feel that the wrestlers should have brought two to three medals. “We can’t say it was a disappointing performance but, yes, we should have won two more medals. There was no proper wrestling federation in place and the sport was managed by the SAI and IOA’s adhoc body in which they clearly failed,” said former India wrestler and coach Kripa Shankar Patel. Jagbir Singh, international referee judge feels the absence of national camps and sparring partners led to such an underwhelming performance.
WRESTLING
ATHLETES: 6 | MEDAL: 1 BRONZE
Antim’s accreditation cancelled for sister’s misuse of it
Sabi Hussain, August 8, 2024: The Times of India
New Delhi : Another fresh controversy struck Indian wrestling on Wednesday evening in Paris when Antim Panghal’s sister Nisha – who also acts as her strength and conditioning coach – was caught by security officials for falsely using the former’s Games accreditation card to enter the athletes’ village. The officials handed Nisha over to the Paris police which briefly detained her and took her to the police station situated inside the village. She was later let off with a warning upon intervention by the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) officials.
Later, the Games organisers cancelled Antim’s accreditation and told her to leave the village immediately. IOA instructed Antim to leave Paris along with Nisha and her entourage of personal support staff – coach Bhagat Singh, sparring partner Vikas and physio.
The uniform
Widespread criticism
July 28, 2024: The Indian Express
The unveiling of the Indian contingent’s uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics by renowned designer Tarun Tahiliani sparked a firestorm of criticism. The choice of a white kurta pyjama for men and saris for women, adorned with the Indian tricolour, fell short of expectations, with many on social media deeming the designs to be simplistic and lacking the grandeur associated with Tahiliani’s work.
Social media platforms were flooded with disappointment and criticism, with many questioning the rationale behind the design choices. The incident has sparked a wider conversation about the importance of striking a balance between tradition, modernity, and practicality when representing a nation on the global platform.
In an official press release, Tahiliani, who is the Chief Design Officer at Tasva, shared “Seeing the outfits come to life adorned with the Team India Olympics logo was a moment of immense pride for Tasva. As our athletes sailed past the Seine during the opening ceremony, they carried a piece of India, making a bold statement in the fashion capital of the world.”
Though the designer did not address the controversy in the press release, he did tell The Hindu that choosing printed ikat was a deliberate choice to “meet timelines.”
This doesn’t seem to have convinced many of the decision. Former shuttler Jwala Gutta also expressed how the uniforms were a “huge disasppoinment” for her.
In a post on X, Gutta wrote, “The garments which was made for the Indian contingent participating in Olympics this time has been a huge disappointment!! (Especially when the designer was announced I had huge expectations),” she wrote.
“The choice of viscose over cotton was also deliberate. Cotton would have crushed badly. We used viscose because it is a wood pulp fibre and lets you breathe. It is cooler than silk,” he said. “We had to consider breathability because the athletes would be on a barge, in the heat, for up to five hours.”
“Hello Tarun Tahiliani! I have seen better Sarees sold in Mumbai streets for Rs.200 than these ceremonial uniforms you’ve ‘designed’,” wrote blogger and columnist Dr Nandita Iyer. She called it a combination of digital prints, cheap polyester fabric and the tricolour thrown together without any imagination.
Others shared similar sentiments. Actor Tara Deshpande wrote: “They look absolutely awful. We have the greatest textile tradition in India. Who passed this design? Who budgeted for this?”
See also
The Olympics: India (1900-2016)+Home page
The Olympics and India, 2024
Asian Athletics Championships: South Asia’s performance, 2002-2015
Athletics, India: National marks
