Mixture of delights and debacles: How the Indian contingent ended the Day 14 of Tokyo Olympics?

(This article is authored by Alar, a freelance content writer)

The current edition of the Olympics, hosted by Tokyo, is getting close to its end, and on Friday, it has hit its fourteenth day, and India, which has sent one of the largest contingents to the Japanese capital with significant participation of women hasn't put a magnificent show as the campaigns of some of the most expected victories had eventually failed with the country still yet to open its 'golden account.  

The Indian contingent has 127 athletes from champions, experienced players, and young talents. In what has become a promising precedent, India has a mix of 56 women and 71 men representing the country. Friday had been a mixture of delights and debacles for India as some of the much-expected campaigns had taken a wrong turn and ended with setbacks while the fleet of Indian men had thrilled the country by setting a new Asian record in relay, though they failed to advance to the finals. 
 
Today's matches of India:  

1.Men's 50 km walk final 
2.Women's 20km walk final  
3.Golf - Women's individual R3 
4.Women's Hockey- Bronze Medal 
5.Wrestling - Men's freestyle 65kg 1/8 Final 
6.Wrestling - Women's freestyle 50kg 1/8 Final 
7.Athletics: Men's 4x400m relay Heat 2  

List of Indian Athletes Played Today:  

1) Gurpreet Singh - Men's 50 km walk final 
2) Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar - Golf - Women's individual R3 
3) Bhawna Jat, Priyanka Goswami - Women's 20km walk final 
4) Bajrang Punia - Wrestling - Men's freestyle 65kg 1/8 Final 
5) Seema Bisla - Wrestling - Women's freestyle 50kg 1/8 Final  
6) Amoj Jacob, Arokia Rajiv, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Anas - Men's 4x400m relay Heat 2 
 
Day 14 - How Indian Players completed the day?

The day was started with Men's 50km walk with Gurpreet Singh. But miserably and unexpectedly, Gurpreet Singh failed to finish the men's 50km race walk event of the Olympics, pulling out after the 35km mark due to cramps under hot and humid conditions. He became one of the lowest-ranked athletes in the event. He was ranked at 51st and marked 35km with a time of 2hr 55 minutes; 19 seconds. 
 
On the other side, 23-year-old Aditi Ashok grasped the dreams of a historic Olympic medal as she finished at the 2nd spot at the end of Round 3 of Women's Individual Strokeplay on Friday. She is only behind World No. 1 Nelly Korda from the USA. She is the desired hope player of India, in this edition of the Olympics. Women's 20km walk final was also ended with Priyanka Goswami in 17th place clocked 1 hr 32 minutes 36 seconds and Bhawna Jat in 32nd place with a time of 1:37:38. 
 
And we have witnessed the consecutive winning of Bajrang Punia against E. Akmataliev and Ghiasi Cheka in Men's freestyle 65kg 1/8 Final Wrestling. But ended with crashing to Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan in the second semifinal. Haji Aliyev is a three-time world champion, consistently attacked Bajrang's legs, and twice got himself into position from where he could roll the Indian comfortably for easy two-point throws. 

Under 30 seconds left in the bout, Bajrang hopelessly looked for an offence but Aliev did not let him do that by seizing him in a strong body lock. Following up, Seema Bisla sadly crashed out in the opening round of 50 kg after losing to Sarra Hamdi from Tunisia by 3-1. Resulting in that, Seema Bisla loses her bout and fails to advance into the quarterfinal. Proudly, the fleet of Men's 4x400m relay Heat 2 finished the event and placed in 4th and overall in 9th place. They remarkably set a new Asian record with a 3:00:25 effort and finished fourth in Heat 2 but couldn't advance to the final at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday, missed out on a final by just one place.

To a shocking end, the Indian women's hockey team, which took on Great Britain in the must-win match to win the Bronze medal, has eventually lost the battle to Great Britain 4-3. The battle was to close and presented nail-biting moments back to the country that hoped that the team would assure Bronze medal for India. However, the match had come to a disappointing end, but the women's hockey team was showered with commendations for their tenacity and brilliant performances in their road to the medal match. Currently, India stands at the 66th spot in the Olympic medals tally with five medals - two silver and three bronze medals. 
 
What will be for India on Day 15 -Saturday of the Olympics:  

Day 15 will have Women's Individual Stroke Play Round 4 tomorrow, as from the beginning, Aditi Ashok finishing the Golf event astonishingly. She is currently in second place with only one more round left. This is her second Olympic appearance, as she finished in 41st place in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro edition Olympics. 
 
Followingly, Neeraj Chopra entering to Men's Javelin Throw Final after he cleared the automatic qualifying mark of 83.50 meters with his first attempt of 86.65 meters in Group A on Wednesday. All eyes will be on Chopra on tomorrow's final as he is on a record this season and sets the national record of 88.07m, which he achieved at the Indian Grand Prix in March. 
 
After losing today's event of Men's freestyle 65kg 1/8 Final, Bajraj Punia having a final bronze medal match as a thin thread of hope to grasp the chance. He will face the ROC's Gadzhimurad Rashidov in the bronze medal match. Rashidov is a Russian freestyle wrestler who holds an undefeated 5-0 record against American wrestlers and the reigning and three-time Russian National Champion. 
 
 
 

 

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