Day 9 of the Tokyo Olympics witnessed a rollercoaster of emotions for Team India, with triumphs and setbacks across various disciplines.
In badminton, Lakshya Sen’s Olympic dream of a gold medal was shattered after a heartbreaking defeat to defending champion Viktor Axelsen. Despite a valiant effort, Sen succumbed to a 20-22, 14-21 loss, leaving him to compete for the bronze medal.
“I think I became passive when I was defending,” Sen said after the match. “I should have taken chances and attacked.”
Meanwhile, in athletics, Parul Chaudhary’s Olympic journey came to an end after finishing eighth in the women’s 3000m steeplechase round 1.
The Indian men’s hockey team, however, celebrated a hard-fought victory over Great Britain in their quarter-final fixture. The match went into a penalty shootout, where India emerged victorious.
In shooting, Vijayveer Sidhu and Anish Bhanwala failed to qualify for the final of the 25m men’s rapid fire pistol.
Disappointment struck the boxing arena as Lovlina Borgohain lost her women’s 75kg quarter-final bout, ending India’s boxing campaign at the Olympics.
Despite the setbacks, Team India remains determined to make the most of the remaining days of competition. Lakshya Sen will aim to secure a bronze medal in badminton, while the men’s hockey team will look to continue their winning streak in the semi-finals.
