Day 12 began with a major heartbreak for India as Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the final of the women’s 50kg wrestling category for being overweight - by a mere 100 grams. This shocking news came as a huge disappointment, especially after her stellar performances on Tuesday. Vinesh had won three consecutive matches, including a victory over Japan's Yui Susaki, who had an unbeaten 82-match streak. With a medal within reach, this unexpected disqualification was a bitter blow to the Indian contingent and her supporters.

Another 4th place finish!

This Olympics has been mostly about 4th place finishes. There have been so many that it is difficult to keep count. Mirabai Chanu gets added to it as well in the weightlifting 49 kg category. She lifted 88kg in her third round of the snatch event.

She then lifted 111kg in her second attempt in the clean and jerk, putting her at third position. Chanu then attempted to lift 114 kg but was unable to do so and she eventually finished fourth after lifting a total of 199kg. Another heartbreak for India. 

Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar Start Strong in Women's Golf

The Women’s Golf tournament began on Wednesday with Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar representing India. They will compete over the next four days at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, near Paris. Aditi, who narrowly missed a medal in Tokyo 2020 after being in contention until the 17th hole on the final day, logged an even par in the first round, matching the course par. She is T13 at the end of Day 1. Diksha, a former Deaflympics champion who recently recovered from an accident scare, showed resilience by finishing T7 on Day one.

IC: X

Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay Disappointment

In the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay final, the Indian team of Suraj Panwar and Priyanka Goswami faced a setback, failing to finish the race. Their effort ended at the 33.4 km mark, cutting short their aspirations. Spain’s Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez won the gold medal, with Australia taking the silver and bronze.

Jyothi Yarraji Faces Challenge in 100m Hurdles

Jyothi Yarraji clocked 13.16 seconds in heat 5 of the women’s 100m hurdles round 1, finishing seventh and missing direct qualification to the semi-finals. Despite this setback, Jyothi has another opportunity to progress through the repechage event on Thursday. This is a significant moment for India as Jyothi is the first Indian female athlete to compete in the 100m hurdles at the Olympics.

Sarvesh Kushare Falls Short in High Jump

Sarvesh Kushare did not advance to the finals in the men’s high jump, clearing 2.15m but failing to meet the 2.20m qualification mark in his three attempts. The qualification standard was set at 2.29m, and Kushare ranked second last in Group B.

Annu Rani Misses Javelin Final

Annu Rani, a national record holder, registered a best throw of 55.81m in the women’s javelin throw qualification round. Her other throws were 53.22m and 53.55m, placing her 15th in Group A. This performance was not enough to meet the qualification standard of 62.00m, and she did not make it to the top 12 to advance to the final. Annu's effort fell short in an event where every meter counts.

India's Women's Table Tennis Team Defeated by Germany

India’s women’s Table Tennis team, after a strong performance in their last game, faced a tough challenge and was defeated by Germany in the quarter-finals. The duo of Sreeja Akula-Archana Kamath and Manika Batra lost the first two games, putting India on the back foot. Kamath gave India some hope by winning the third game, but the team ultimately lost the match 3-1, with Germany advancing to the semi-finals. This loss ended India's campaign in the women’s table tennis event.

IC: PTI

Antim Panghal's Early Exit in Wrestling

Indian wrestler Antim Panghal faced a tough match against Turkey's Zeynep Yetgil in the women’s 53kg freestyle round of 16, losing 10-0. Yetgil, a five-time U23 European Championships bronze medallist, won the match on technical superiority in the first round itself. Yetgil's subsequent defeat in the quarter-final meant that Antim Panghal's remaining chances in the competition were also extinguished. This early exit was a hard pill to swallow for Panghal, who had high hopes.

Pravin Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker Fall Short in Men's Triple Jump

Indian athletes Pravin Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker had a challenging outing in the men’s triple jump as they failed to secure a spot in the finals. Pravin, competing in Group A, achieved a best mark of 16.25m on his second attempt, which was insufficient to meet the qualification standard. In Group B, Abdulla managed a jump of 16.49m on his third try, finishing 21st overall and also missing out on the top 12 qualification spots.

Avinash Sable finishes 11th

Indian Ace Avinash Sable finished 11th in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final. The National record-holder clocked 8:14.18. He was placed 4th after 1000m but could not keep up as he went out of the top 10 by the 2000m mark. 

Overall Reflections on Day 12

Day 12 was a challenging day for India at the Olympics, marked by heartbreak and several setbacks across different events. Vinesh Phogat's disqualification was a significant blow, overshadowing the day's competitions. Despite the valiant efforts of athletes like Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar in golf, the overall performance was marred by disappointments in athletics, wrestling, and table tennis. The spirit and dedication of the Indian athletes remain commendable, but the results on this day were a stark reminder of the highs and lows of competitive sports on the world stage.