Swapnil Kusale etched his name in Indian sporting history by securing a historic bronze medal in shooting at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite the pressure of the grand stage, Kusale displayed nerves of steel and staged a remarkable comeback to finish on the podium. His aggregate score of 451.4 in the eight-shooter final propelled India to 42nd place in the medal standings.
India’s medal hopes took a hit on Day 7 as badminton stars PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty bowed out of the competition. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, was defeated by China’s He Bingjiao in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals. Satwik and Chirag’s Olympic dream also ended in disappointment after a three-game loss in the men’s doubles quarterfinals.
However, India’s medal tally could receive a boost on Friday as Manu Bhaker continues her impressive run in the women’s 25m pistol qualification alongside Esha Singh. Bhaker, a two-time bronze medalist at the Paris Games, is aiming for a medal hat-trick.
Lakshya Sen kept India’s badminton hopes alive by advancing to the quarterfinals after defeating compatriot HS Prannoy in an all-Indian clash. Sen, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, will face 12th seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in the next round.
Other Indian athletes in action on Day 7 include Shubhankar Sharma and Ganganjeet Bhullar in golf, Anantjeet Singh Naruka in men’s skeet qualification, and Ankita Dhyani, Parul Chaudhary, and Tajinderpal Singh Toor in athletics.
India’s men’s hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, will face Australia in their final pool match after losing 1-2 to defending champions Belgium.
