Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Day six of the Tokyo Olympics saw a few results go India’s way, and a few where our medal hopes crashed out. On one hand, while PV Sindhu and boxer Satish made it to the quarters of their respective events, veteran Mary Kom crashed from the pre-quarters. The hockey team too sealed a spot in the knockouts, while the archers survived close matches to progress.
India longs for first shooting medal
India’s Manu Bhaker was placed fifth and Rahi Sarnobat 25th, after the first precision round of qualifying in the Women’s 25M Pistol, on day six of the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics Shooting competitions at the Asaka Shooting range. Manu shot an excellent 292 out of 300 while Rahi shot 287, and both can make it among the top eight-finalists, on the back of a very good second rapid-fire round.
Sindhu faces Akane Yamaguchi in quarters
Reigning world champion P V Sindhu sailed into the women’s singles quarterfinals after beating Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt in straight games at the Tokyo Olympics badminton competition here on Thursday. The 26-year-old Indian, who won a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, notched up a 21-15 21-13 win over 13th seed Blichfeldt in a 41-minute match.
India in hockey quarters; beat Argentina 3-1
With their impressive 3-1 win over defending champion Argentina at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, India men’s hockey team have sealed a top-two spot and hence, a quarterfinals berth. The Manpreet Singh-led squad has won three of their four Pool A matches so far with one defeat coming against world champion Australia.
Atanu Das & Deepika Kumari survive
Indian archer Atanu Das hit the bull’s eye in a one-arrow shoot-off to knock two-time Olympic champion Oh Jin Hyek out of the Tokyo Olympics and storm into the pre-quarterfinals here on Thursday. Oh had won the individual gold medal in London 2012 and was a member of the gold medal winning team at the ongoing Tokyo Games. He was also part of the bronze-wining team at 2012 Olympics.
Deepika Kumari registered a close win to move into the Round of 16 in the women’s individual archery competition at the Tokyo Olympics. The World No. 1 beat Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez of the USA 6-4 in a windy Round-of-32 match at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field on Wednesday. Deepika lost the first set as she registered a score of 25 (7 and two 9s), while Jennifer scored 26 (9, 10 and 7) to take a 2-0 lead. In the second set, Deepika was able to make a comeback with 8 and two 10s against Jennifer’s two 9s and 7, bringing the scores level at 2-2.
Mixed day for boxers; Mary Kom crashes out
India’s first super heavyweight (+91kg) boxer to compete in the Olympics, Satish Kumar, eased into the quarterfinals of his debut Games, defeating Jamaica’s Ricardo Brown in his opening bout here on Thursday. In the battle of the debutants, the 32-year-old Satish prevailed 4-1, a comfortable win for him despite the split verdict.
Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom’s (51kg) pursuit of a second Olympic medal ended in the pre-quarterfinals of the Tokyo Games as she went down to 2016 edition’s bronze-medallist Ingrit Valencia in a fiercely-fought showdown here on Thursday. The 38-year-old legend, who is a multiple-time Asian champion and a bronze-winner from the 2012 London olympics, lost 2-3 to the Colombian, giving it her all in what would now be her final Olympic bout.
Golfer Anirban Lahiri displays form
Playing in his second Olympics, India’s Anirban Lahiri got off to a solid start, carding a 4-under 67 in the first round to be placed tied sixth at the weather-hit Tokyo Games golf competition at the Kasumigaseki Country Club here on Thursday. The former Asian Tour No. 1 struck six birdies against two bogeys in a field in which many players were yet to finish their rounds because of a lightning storm at the venue. The other Indian, Udayan Mane, who made the field of 60 at a late stage, also had a fine start and he was 1-under through 10 holes. He was T-30 though his position will change as the round ends.
Sailors out of contention
Indian sailing pair of KC Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar finished a creditable seventh in one of the two races in men’s skiff 49er but still languished at 17th position overall at the Tokyo Olympics here on Thursday. Ganapathy and Thakkar ended at 16th in Race 5 before pulling off a seventh-place finish in the next to occupy 17th place out of 19 competitors with 76 net points.
Another Indian, Vishnu Saravanan was at 23rd position overall out of 35 sailors in the laser event with 138 net points after finishing 27th and 23rd in Race 7 and 8 on Thursday. Nethra Kumanan also continued her disappointing form as she was placed 31st with 176 net points out of 44 sailors in the women’s laser radial after finishing 22nd and 20th in the seventh and eighth races.
Sajan Prakash finishes 46th
Swimmer Sajan Prakash finished second in his Heat but that was not enough to advance the semifinals of the men’s 100m butterfly event as India’s underwhelming campaign at the Tokyo Olympics ended here on Thursday. Prakash, who also competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, finished second in the second-slowest heat with a time of 53.45s. The cut was placed at 51.74s.
