Day 6 at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a whirlwind for the Indian team, showcasing a mix of triumphs and challenges. The day featured notable achievements in shooting, alongside setbacks in race walking, boxing, archery, and hockey. Here’s a look at the highlights.
Swapnil Kusale made history by winning a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3P event, marking the first time an Indian has medaled in this category. This accomplishment also represents India’s best-ever shooting medal tally at a single Olympics.
In race walking, India’s competitors faced difficulties. Vikash Singh finished 30th, Paramjeet Singh Bisht was 37th, and national record holder Akshdeep Singh withdrew after 6 km. Priyanka Goswami clocked 1:39:55 in the women’s race, finishing 41st and falling short of her previous silver medal performance.
Boxer Nikhat Zareen was eliminated in the round of 16 by China’s Wu Yu in the women’s 50kg category, despite a strong showing. This was her first Olympic appearance, and reaching the round of 16 was an impressive achievement.
Archer Pravin Jadhav struggled, losing to China’s Kao Wenchao in the men’s individual round. This was Jadhav’s second Olympic appearance following his debut in Tokyo.
India’s unbeaten hockey streak ended with a 2-1 loss to reigning champions Belgium. Abhishek scored an early goal, but Belgium responded with two second-half goals. Despite the defeat, India advanced to the quarter-finals.
In the women’s 50m rifle 3P event, Sift Kaur and Anjum Moudgil did not make it to the finals. Sift Kaur finished 31st, and Moudgil placed 18th. Sift Kaur had earlier secured a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games.
In men’s doubles badminton, Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty were knocked out by Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. Despite winning the first set, the Indian pair lost the next two, with the Malaysian duo securing their first win against them.
Lakshya Sen defeated HS Prannoy 21-12, 21-6 in an all-Indian men’s singles round of 16 match. Sen, who has now beaten Prannoy five times, moves on to the quarter-finals to face Chou Tien of Chinese Taipei.
Sailing saw Vishnu Saravanan begin his campaign with a 10th place in the first race and a 34th place in the second. The event consists of ten races, and Saravanan aims to improve his position.
Golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar started their Olympic campaigns. Shubhankar finished tied for 29th with a score of 70, while Gaganjeet was tied for 56th with a score of 75.
PV Sindhu faced disappointment, losing to He Bingjiao of China with scores of 19-21 and 14-21, marking her first Olympic appearance without a medal after her previous victories.
Nethra Kumanan had a promising start in sailing, finishing sixth in the first race of the women’s dinghy competition. With ten races in total, she aims to advance to the medal round.
