Heartbreak, heartbreak, and more heartbreak — these are the words we have been hearing over the last few days as India faced several disappointments at the Paris Olympics. From Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification to Mirabai Chanu missing out on a Bronze medal by a narrow margin, it’s been tough. But on Day 13, there was finally some relief as India won a Bronze medal in men’s hockey, Neeraj Chopra earned another medal in the Javelin throw, and Aman Sehrawat delivered a stunning performance in wrestling. Let’s take a look at the key moments from Day 13.

India's golden boy delivers again!

Neeraj Chopra has added another Olympic medal to his illustrious career by winning a silver in the javelin throw at the Paris Olympics. After clinching the gold in Tokyo 2020, Neeraj once again delivered a stellar performance, though he missed out on a second consecutive gold. His best throw of 89.45 meters earned him the silver, while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem claimed the gold with a remarkable throw of 92.97 meters. Neeraj's achievement makes him the first Indian track and field athlete to win two Olympic medals, solidifying his place as a legend in Indian sports history.

IC: Reuters

PR Sreejesh Gets a Perfect Farewell!

Just before the Bronze medal match between India and Spain, India’s veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh announced his retirement from international hockey. He couldn’t have asked for a better farewell gift, as India defeated Spain 2-1 to claim the Bronze medal. This victory marked India’s second consecutive Olympic medal in hockey. It was also India’s fourth Bronze medal in this year’s Olympics. Spain took an early lead, but Harmanpreet Singh turned the game around by scoring two goals, securing the win for India.

IC: Olympic Khel

Vinesh Phogat Announces Retirement

After a heartbreaking experience at the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from wrestling. She was on the brink of becoming India’s first female wrestler to reach an Olympic final, but she was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight at the second weigh-in. The news broke on Wednesday morning, leaving the nation in tears. Vinesh shared an emotional statement: "Mother, wrestling won against me, I lost. Your dreams and my courage are broken. I don't have the strength to go on anymore. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be indebted to all of you. Please forgive me."

IC: PTI

Jyothi Yarraji Stumbles

Jyothi Yarraji, an Asian Games silver medalist, faced disappointment in the women’s 100m hurdles event. She clocked 13.17 seconds in the repechage round but finished fourth in her heat and 16th overall, failing to make it to the semifinals. Only the top two from each heat advanced to the next round. Despite the setback, Yarraji made history as the first Indian athlete to represent India in the 100m hurdles at the Olympics.

Anshu Malik’s Tough Defeat in Pre-Quarters

India’s Anshu Malik faced a challenging opponent in the women’s 57kg freestyle round of 16 wrestling bout, losing 2-7 to USA’s Helen Louise Maroulis. This was not their first encounter—Anshu had also lost to Maroulis in the finals of the World Championships three years ago. She also has no chance of participating in the repechage round as Maroulis lost in the semi-finals. 

Aman Sehrawat Stuns Former World Champion

Aman Sehrawat delivered a brilliant performance in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling event. He stormed into the semifinals after an impressive outing in the pre-quarters and quarters. In the pre-quarterfinals, he defeated Vladimir Egorov of North Macedonia 10-0, winning the bout on technical superiority with two minutes to spare. Then, in the quarterfinals, he shocked former world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov with a 12-0 victory. Aman’s use of the “fitele,” a move where a wrestler grabs their opponent’s ankles and twirls them around in quick succession, took Abakarov by surprise and secured Aman’s place in the semifinals.

Aman Sehrawat's impressive journey at the Olympics faced a setback on Day 13 as he was defeated by Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the men’s 57kg freestyle semi-final bout. Despite his best efforts, Aman was overpowered, losing 0-10. However, the young wrestler still has a shot at securing a bronze medal when he faces Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico in the upcoming bout.

Diksha Dagar slips 7 positions in Golf

Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok competed in the second round of the women’s golf tournament. Aditi shot a 1-under 71 in this round, which has placed her at 14th overall. Meanwhile, Diksha, who was in seventh place after day one, slipped to 14th as well. Both golfers now have a total of 143 points.