Tokyo Olympics: Lovlina gets Bronze, Neeraj sails into javelin finals
New Delhi: Wednesday was a mixed day for Team India in the Tokyo Olympics as Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) signed off with a Bronze Medal in the Games, but Argentina beat India 2-1 in the women’s hockey semi-finals.
After a comprehensive 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli, Lovlina, the 23-year-old from Assam, became only the third Indian boxer to ensure a podium finish at the showpiece after Vijender Singh (2008) and M C Mary Kom (2012).
Earlier, Medal-hopeful Neeraj Chopra made it to the final of men’s javelin throw with a throw of 86.65 m, well beyond the qualification mark of 83.50 m. The men’s javelin throw final will be held on August 7.
But Shivpal Singh could not make it to the finals after failing to throw above the qualifying mark.
Wrestler Ravi Kumar defeated his opponent from Kazakhstan by pinfall to make it to the finals of Men’s Freestyle 57 kg. Deepak Punia entered the semi-finals after winning in their respective weight categories while
Anshu Malik failed to make it to the quarterfinals.
The day began big for India’s women’s hockey team as the Rani Rampal-led side vied for the Bronze against Argentina but lost 2-1.
India was playing in the semi-finals for the first time in Olympics while Argentina figured in this round in four editions of the Games from 2000 to 2012, reaching the final twice. They had finished seventh in Rio de Janeiro while India ended 12th and last in the field.
(VP)
