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No medals were won on Wednesday, but India’s sporting heavyweights P V Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and Lovlina Borgohain stayed firmly on course for historic podium finishes at the Paris Olympics, where a new shooting star in Swapnil Kusale emerged for the country at the far away ranges in Chateauroux after qualifying for the final in the 50m Rifle 3 positions by finishing seventh.
It wasn’t just Sindhu who set the badminton court ablaze on Wednesday. Sen too turned on the heat. He surprised old foe Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in a knock-out group game and join her in the pre-quarter-finals.
While Sen is chasing a Games medal on debut, Sindhu is in pursuit of her third in as many Olympics appearances.
Sindhu hardly broke a sweat before getting past Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba in her second and last match in Group M.
Sen was sensational while thrashing of Indonesia's world No. 4 Christie, the reigning All-England and Asian champion.
On the medals table, India occupies joint-38th position, courtesy the two bronze medals in shooting.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 5, Wednesday, July 31, 2024:
ARCHERY
Deepika finds form, finally
After being a complete letdown in the team competition, Deepika Kumari finally struck form and entered the pre-quarter-finals of the women's individual event with back-to-back wins.
The former world No. 1 first defeated Reena Parnat of Estonia 6-5 in a shoot-off before getting the better of Quinty Roeffen of the Netherlands 6-2.
She will meet Germany’s Michelle Kroppen in the pre-quarter-finals on Saturday.
BADMINTON
Sindhu, Sen, Prannoy sizzle
PV Sindhu stormed into the pre-quarter-finals of the women's singles after beating Estonia's Kristin Kuuba.
The two-time Olympics medallist won her second and last Group M match 21-5, 21-10 in 33 minutes.
Lakshya Sen progressed to the pre-quarter-finals in the men's singles with a stunning 21-18, 21-12 win over Indonesia's world No. 4 Jonatan Christie in the final Group L match.
H S Prannoy staved off a spirited challenge from Vietnam's Le Duc Phat to also advance with a 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 win over the world No. 70.
BOXING
Lovlina breezes into quarters
The boxing ring has thrown up mixed results for India so far, including the shock first-round exit of the fancied Amit Panghal in the men's competition. But chasing her second successive Olympics medal, Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) showed just why she is among the strongest Indian medal contenders.
She made short work of Norewegian rival Sunniva Hofstad, winning 5-0 in the pre-quarter-finals. She is now just a win away from adding to her Tokyo bronze, which was claimed in the 69kg category, and achieve a feat that is unprecedented in Indian boxing.
But her path is not an easy one as she will take on top-seeded Chinese Li Qian in the last-eight stage on August 4. A win in this bout will ensure her at least a bronze medal.
EQUESTRIAN
Anush Agarwalla exits
Asian Games medallist Anush Agarwalla crashed out of the equestrian event, finishing a below-par ninth in his group in the Individual Dressage category.
The 23-year-old Agarwalla, who won a gold and bronze medal in team and individual dressage events in the Hangzhou Asian Games, scored a below-par 66.444 with his astride Sir Caramello Old.
It was not enough to ensure a place in the medal round.
SHOOTING
Swapnil Kusale in 50m Rifle 3 positions final
In Chateauroux, some 300km away from bustling Paris, Swapnil Kusale became the first Indian to qualify for the final of the 50m Rifle 3 positions event after finishing seventh in the qualification round.
Kusale shot 198 (99, 99) in kneeling position, 197 (98, 99) in prone and 195 (98, 97) in standing as the top eight shooters in a field of 44 made it to the final round.
He finished with an overall score of 590 (38x).
The 29-year-old from Kambalwadi village, near Kolhapur in Maharashtra, has been competing in international events since 2012 but had to wait 12 years to realise his Olympic dream. His father and brother are teachers in a district school while mother is the sarpanch of Kambalwadi village.
However, the more established Aishwary Tomar missed out after placing 11th with a score of 589 (33x), with shots of 197 (98, 99) in kneeling, 199 (100, 990) in prone and 193 (95, 98) in standing position.
In women's trap, Rajeshwari Kumari and Shreyasi Singh shot 113 to finish 22nd and 23rd respectively.
TABLE TENNIS
Manika, Sreeja beaten in pre-quarter-finals
India’s challenge in Table Tennis singles ended after Manika Batra's lost to Japan’s Miu Hirano and Sreeja Akula's went down fighting to world number one Yingshaw Sun on her birthday.
Never did India have two singles players competing for quarter-final berths at the Olympics, but the seasoned Manika and Sreeja showed that they have the potential to do better on the big stage by reaching the Round of 16.
Manika became the first Indian to progress to the pre-quarter-finals at the Olympics on Monday while Sreeja, who turned 26 on Wednesday, joined her senior colleague in the Round of 16 with a 4-2 win over Singapore's Jian Zeng.
Up against Miu, who has been in tremendous form, Manika lost 6-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11.
Later in the day, Sreeja produced a valiant fight against Sun before losing 10-12, 10-12, 8-11, 3-11 in her Round of 16 match.