Previews Day 14 in Tokyo : Bajrang 1 win away from a medal. Indian women lose hockey bronze.
Bajrang Punia was one win away from winning a medal. Punia reached the semifinals after winning 2 matches on Friday. Bad luck for him he lost by 5-12 from Israel’s wrestler. But he still has a chance for the bronze medal.
Indian women hockey team lost out on bronze in a spirited performance against Great Britain. The Indian hockey’s Tokyo Olympics campaign came to an in-depth. The women in blue went down 3-4 to defending champions Great Britain in their trophy match. After the lad’s side brought home a hockey medal for the first time in 41 years, the Rani Rampal-led side produced a spirited performance. Even leading at one point before bowing out with the best fourth finish ever.
In the women’s 20-km racewalk, Priyanka Goswami was with the leading pack in the first half of the race, ranked 1st after 8 km. India’s star wrestler Punia began his campaign by narrowly defeating Kyrgystan’s Ernazar Akmataliev within the men’s freestyle 65 kg category. He then ousted Iran’s Morteza Ghiasi by fall to book his place in the semifinals. Bajrang is now one win far away from claiming a medal. It was, however, the top of the road for India’s women wrestlers with Seema Bisla bowing call at her first bout of women’s freestyle 50kg category.
Meanwhile, golfer Aditi Ashok had another adieu, finishing Round 3 in second place. In athletics, Gurpreet Singh dropped out of his 50km race walk early within the morning. While Priyanka Goswami and Bhawana Jat are going to be in action later in women’s 20km race walk event.
–About the Matches
–Hockey:
It was a tough fight and ended in tears. The Indian women’s hockey team should be proud of what they achieved at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite losing 3-4 during a pulsating bronze-medal playoff against Great Britain on Friday.
Great Britain were the gold medallists from Rio 2016, where the Indians finished 12th among as many teams. That Sjoerd Marijne’s charges fought on level terms with such fancied opponents for many a part of the match tells one everything about the strides this squad of players has made in the last few years.
–Wrestling:
Debutant Indian wrestler Seema Bisla couldn’t find how to urge out of the defensive trap of Tunisia’s Sarra Hamdi and lost her 50kg opening round 1-3 at the Olympics Games here on Friday.
The 27-year-old couldn’t make her moves as Hamdi applied the body lock to great effect, never allowing Seema to initiate a robust attack.
–Golf:
It all depends on the weather now. India’s Aditi Ashok is poised to win a medal at the of the third and penultimate round of the women’s golf at Kasumigaseki club on Friday.
She finished 12-under 201, three shots below leader Nelly Korda of the USA who is 15-under 198. Aditi is two rounds ahead of four–Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Hannah Green of Australia, Emily Pedersen of Denmark and hosts Imami Mone of the hosts’ Japan – who are tied 10-under 203
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