Boxer Lovlina wins bronze for India; hopes in wrestling and javelin throw; heartbreak for Indian hockey teams

Team India had a mixed bag of emotions at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday. Boxer Lovlina Borgohain took home a bronze medal after losing in the semi-finals of the women’s welterweight (64-69kg). She was defeated by Busenaz Surmeneli, Turkey’s world champion, in a 5-0 unanimous decision. Earlier on Friday, Lovelina defeated former world champion Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in the quarter final. She became the third Indian fighter after Vijender Singh and MC Mary Kom to win a boxing medal at the Olympics.

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In wrestling, Ravi Kumar Dahiya defeated Nurislam Sanayev of Kazakhstan in the men’s 57kg semifinal to assure India of at least a silver medal. The 23-year-old is only the second Indian wrestler, after Sushil Kumar, to compete in an Olympic final. He will face the Russian Olympic Committee’s Uguev in the final on Thursday. Deepak Punia was defeated 0-10 by USA’s David Taylor in the 86kg semi-finals and failed to advance to the finals. Deepak will now compete for the bronze medal on Thursday.

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is another medal hope for India, having secured a direct qualification for the finals with a spectacular throw of 86.65m, which placed him first in Group A. The 23-year-old well surpassed the qualifying mark of 83.50m in his maiden try to compete in the final round on Saturday.

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The first ever Olympic semi-final of the Indian women’s hockey team ended in a heart-break, with Argentina beating them 2-1. Indian women will now face Great Britain in the bronze medal match on Friday. Meanwhile, the Indian men’s hockey team also lost to Belgium 5-2 on Tuesday after making history by reaching the Olympic semi-finals for the first time in four decades. They will face Germany on Thursday for the bronze medal.  

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