Just one point shy of Norway and Germany, India's quest for a medal on Day 1 of the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday faced a heartbreaking setback.Both Indian pairs in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event narrowly missed securing a spot in the finals.
The Indian teams, Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh, and Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta, finished outside the top four, which was necessary to advance to the medal rounds.
Ramita and Arjun came agonizingly close to qualifying, finishing in sixth place with a score of 628.7, just one point short of the scores needed to progress. Norway and Germany both scored 629.7, clinching the final spots for the bronze medal match. Meanwhile, Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh ended their campaign in 12th place with a total score of 626.3, significantly behind the leaders.
The competition required each shooter to fire 30 shots, with the combined scores determining the teams' standings. Only the top four teams from the qualification round move on to the medal rounds, with the top two competing for gold and the third and fourth teams vying for bronze.
China (632.2), Korea (631.4), Kazakhstan (630.8), and Germany (629.7) secured the spots for the 10m air rifle mixed team medal matches, leaving India 1 in 12th place and India 2 in 6th.
Despite their best efforts, the Indian shooters could not match the performance levels of their international counterparts. The disappointment in the 10m Air Rifle event casts a shadow over the team's start in the competition.
Looking ahead, there are more opportunities for India in the shooting events, with Arjun Singh Cheema, Sarabjot Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Rhythm Sangwan competing in the 10m Air Pistol events.
Later in the day, the Indian men's hockey team faces a crucial opening clash in the group stage against New Zealand, a match they cannot afford to lose. Additionally, Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag, and Ashwini-Tanisha will compete in their badminton group-stage matches, offering further chances for India to get on the medal tally.(UNI)
