Highlights from Day 12 of India at Paris Olympics (7 August 2024): Whenever India’s history in the Olympics will be explored, the date of 7 August 2024 will be a pain. This has been the most disappointing day in India’s Olympic history.
In a shocking development, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday for being overweight before the final of the women’s 50 kg wrestling event. While India’s biggest hope in this sport, Ankhim Panghal also got eliminated. Mirabai Chanu in weightlifting and Avinash Sable in steeplechase also disappointed. India’s campaign ended after the Indian women’s team lost 1-3 to Germany in table tennis.
Vinesh disqualified in wrestling, out after embarrassing final loss
Vinesh had created history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympic final. Till morning, she seemed certain to win at least a silver medal, but she was found to be 100 grams overweight. 29-year-old Vinesh was taken to the polyclinic in Khelgaon as she was dehydrated in the morning.
An Indian coach said, ‘In the morning, her weight was found to be 100 grams more. The rules do not allow this and she has been disqualified.’ The Indian Olympic Association requested to respect Vinesh’s privacy and said, ‘We are sorry to inform that Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the 50 kg category of women’s wrestling. Despite the tireless efforts of the team throughout the night, her weight was found to be more than 50 kg in the morning.’
It said, ‘The Indian team will not make any further statement at this time. The Indian team requests you to respect Vinesh’s privacy. The Indian team would like to focus on the upcoming competitions at this time.’
According to the rules of United World Wrestling (UWW), a wrestler has the right to weigh himself multiple times during the weighing period. According to the rules, ‘If a player does not appear for the first and second weighing or is unqualified, he will be eliminated from the competition and will be in the last position and will not get any rank.’
Anit Panghal was eliminated in the women’s 53kg category after a humiliating 0-10 defeat to Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep. Debutant 19-year-old Anit’s hopes of remaining in the race for the bronze medal through the repechage also got dashed when Zeynep lost to Germany’s Annika Wendl in the quarter-finals.
Earlier, the bronze medalist of the World Cup Championship and the one who got the Olympic quota in this category lost in the final 101 seconds. Earlier Vinesh used to play in this weight category. The Turkish wrestler was declared the winner on the basis of technical superiority. Vinesh has become the third wrestler of the country who will return empty handed. Nisha Dahiya’s (68 kg) campaign ended on Monday.
Campaign ends in table tennis
Despite Archana Kamath’s brief display of resistance in the quarter-finals of the women’s table tennis team event, India lost 1-3 to technically superior Germany. The Indian women’s team’s defeat ended the country’s campaign in the table tennis event at the Paris Olympics.
The Indian pair of Sreeja Akula and Archana lost the opening doubles match to Yuan Wan and Ziona Shan 5-11 11-8 10-12 6-11. India’s star player Manika Batra lost the match 11-8 5-11 7-11 5-11 against Annette Kaufman in the first singles.
Archana won the second singles match against Ziona Shan 19-17 1-11 11-5 11-9. In the third singles, Kaufman defeated Sreeja 11-6 11-7 11-7 to give Germany a win and enter the semi-finals.
Annu Rani in javelin throw, Yaraji disappointed in 100m hurdles
India’s experienced javelin thrower Annu Rani once again failed to impress at the world level and was eliminated from the qualification round after a poor performance. 31-year-old national record holder Annu started with 55.81 meters and threw 53.22 meters and 53.55 meters in the next two attempts. She finished 15th among 16 competitors in Group A and 26th overall. National record holder India’s 100m hurdler Jyoti Yaraji finished seventh after a poor performance in her first heat and missed out on an automatic semi-final berth.
Yaraji, who is playing her first Olympics, is also the first Indian to participate in the 100m hurdles at the Games. She clocked 13.16 seconds in the fourth heat and finished 35th out of 40 runners.
In high jump, Sarvesh Kushare also could not reach the final. He finished 13th in Group B and 25th overall. He could only jump 2.15 meters while his best effort of the season is 2.25 meters.
Earlier, in the marathon racewalk mixed relay team, Suraj Panwar and Priyanka Goswami could not complete the race. Goswami withdrew after the fourth and final stage of the 41.4 km race.
Avinash Sable also disappointed
Avinash Sable finished 11th in the 3000m steeple chase with a timing of 8:14.18. The good news is that with 8:14.18 Avinash has qualified for next year’s World Championships, for which the entry standard was 8.15.00.
Mirabai missed the medal, finished fourth
Mirabai Chanu lifted a total of 199 kg with 88 in snatch and 111 in clean and jerk. With this she missed the medal by just one kg. China’s current Olympic champion Hou Zhihui, a strong contender for the gold medal, secured the first place with an Olympic record in clean and jerk. She lifted a total of 206 (snatch 89, clean and jerk 117) kg. Romania’s Valentina Cambei won the silver with 206 (93 and 112) kg and Thailand’s Surodchan Khambo won the bronze medal with 200 (88 and 112) kg.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)