Bhaker in quest for double glory; archers crumble
Chateauroux/ Paris: Manu Bhaker continued her impressive Olympic run, positioning herself for a potential second medal – a feat never before achieved by an Indian athlete. This bright spot came on a day marked by mixed results for Team India: the men’s hockey squad settled for a lacklustre tie, a near-miss fourth place in shooting left supporters disappointed, and the highly-touted archery team suffered an unexpected and crushing defeat.
For the second consecutive day, Bhaker was the standout performer for India. She teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to reach the bronze medal match in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at Chateauroux’s shooting range. They will face the Korean duo of Oh Ye Jin and Lee Wonho, who scored 579. A victory would make Bhaker the first Indian to win more than one medal in a single Olympics.
India’s second medal opportunity on Monday slipped away when debutant Arjun Babuta couldn’t maintain his form in the 10m air rifle men’s final. He seemed poised for a bronze or even silver but ended in the agonising fourth place.
“It was not my day. Finishing fourth is the hardest; it’s disheartening,” said the 25-year-old Babuta, struggling to hide his pain. “There are a lot of thoughts to fight, but I have to remind myself I gave my 100 percent... One can never be ready for a fourth-place finish.”
In contrast, Bhaker and Sarabjot scored 580 to stay in contention for bronze in the mixed team event. In the 10m air rifle women’s competition, Ramita Jindal finished seventh, while shotgun marksman Prithviraj Tondaiman stood 30th and last after the first three rounds of the trap competition.
India is jointly ranked 23rd in the medal tally with one bronze, while China, Korea, and Australia hold the top three positions.
In badminton, Lakshya Sen showcased his talent by defeating Julien Carraggi of Belgium in straight games during a men’s singles group match.
The 22-year-old debutant won 21-19, 21-14 in a 43-minute contest. Sen’s earlier victory over Tokyo Olympics semifinalist Kevin Cordon was voided after Cordon withdrew due to injury. Sen will next face third seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, with the match determining who advances to the pre-quarters.
In hockey, captain Harmanpreet Singh salvaged a 1-1 draw for India against Argentina in a Pool B match, converting a last-minute penalty corner.
The Indian team missed nine penalty corners before Harmanpreet’s crucial goal. Argentina missed a penalty stroke by Maico Casella in the 36th minute, and Lucas Martinez scored for Argentina in the 22nd minute. Harmanpreet’s goal came just before the final whistle.
In archery, the women’s team, featuring Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat, fell short in the quarterfinals.
The men’s team, consisting of veteran Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara, and Pravin Jadhav, also exited in the quarterfinals after losing 2-6 to a young Turkish team. The scores were 53-57, 52-55, 55-54, 54-58.
Veteran doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna announced his retirement from representing India after losing in the opening round of the men’s doubles event in Paris.
“This will be my last event for the country. I understand my place and will now enjoy the tennis circuit as long as possible,” Bopanna said, ruling out his participation in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
