Day 3 of the Paris Olympics 2024 brought a blend of highs and lows for the Indian contingent. From a tough exit in archery to promising advancements in badminton and a dramatic draw in hockey, Indian athletes showcased resilience and determination across various disciplines.
Archery: India Falls to Turkiye in Men's Team Quarter-finals
The Indian men's archery team, comprising Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav, faced a challenging quarter-final against Turkiye. Despite their efforts, the team was outscored in the first two sets at Les Invalides, with scores of 57-53 and 55-52, respectively. A brief glimmer of hope emerged in the third set when a misfire by Turkiye's Berkim Tumer allowed India to take the set. However, in the final set, despite Jadhav’s stellar performance with two 10s, Bommadevara’s seven in the final attempt led to a 58-54 victory for Turkiye, ending India’s campaign in the men's team event. This defeat came on the heels of the women's team’s exit on Sunday.
Badminton Doubles: Satwik-Chirag Advance to Quarter-finals
In a historic achievement, Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured a place in the quarter-finals of the badminton event. Their advancement was confirmed after Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar’s defeat to Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Fajar Alfian in Group C. This marks the first time an Indian badminton doubles pair has reached the quarter-finals at the Olympics. The duo will face Ardianto and Alfian in their final group match before stepping onto the La Chapelle Arena for the last eight.
Badminton Singles: Lakshya Sen Overcomes Belgian Challenge
India’s Lakshya Sen showcased his prowess in the Group L men’s singles badminton match, defeating Belgium’s Julien Carraggi in straight sets. Sen, ranked 18th in the world, overcame a four-point deficit to clinch the first game 21-19 and dominated the second game 21-14, securing victory after 43 minutes of play. Sen’s earlier result against Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon was nullified due to Cordon’s withdrawal from the Olympics. Sen is set to face third seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in his final group match, with a win ensuring his progression to the pre-quarterfinals.
Hockey: India Secures Late Draw Against Argentina
The Indian men’s hockey team displayed grit and determination in their Pool B match against Argentina. Trailing for most of the game after Lucas Martinez’s goal in the second quarter, India found an equalizer in the penultimate minute. Captain Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner to secure a 1-1 draw at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium. Despite dominating possession and making more circle penetrations, India struggled to breach Argentine goalkeeper Tomas Santiago, who made seven crucial saves. This draw, combined with their earlier win against New Zealand, places India third in Pool B standings.
🇮🇳 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿! The #Indianmenshockeyteam drew their second group-stage game against #Argentina thanks to a last-gasp goal from #HarmanpreetSingh. 🏑 #HockeyIndia #IndiaAtParis #IndiavsArgentina #Latest_News #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/5Uiuzz76x8— VYGR | News App (@Vygrofficial) July 29, 2024
Shooting: Prithviraj Tondaiman Struggles in Trap Qualification
Prithviraj Tondaiman faced a tough start in the men's trap qualification round, finishing 30th after the first day. The Olympic debutant managed scores of 22, 25, and 21, with a perfect score in the second round but multiple misses in the others. Tondaiman is the sole Indian competitor in this event and will continue his qualification rounds tomorrow.
Shooting: Arjun Babuta Narrowly Misses 10m Air Rifle Podium
Arjun Babuta, making his Olympic debut, finished fourth in the men's 10m air rifle final. Babuta was in medal contention for much of the event but fell short with a 9.5 in his final shot, scoring 208.4. This placed him just 1.4 points away from a podium finish. Babuta had competed in the mixed team event with Ramita Jindal, where India ranked sixth. In the same event, Sheng Lihao of China set a new Olympic record, securing gold with a score of 252.2.
Final Thoughts
Day 3 at the Paris Olympics 2024 was a testament to the Indian athletes' perseverance and skill. While there were setbacks in archery and shooting, the advancements in badminton and the resilient performance in hockey highlighted India's competitive spirit. As the Games progress, the Indian contingent will look to build on these experiences and aim for more success in the days to come.
Inputs by Agencies
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