In the world of sports, there is perhaps no place more intimate and vulnerable than the mixed zone at the Olympics. This is where athletes pour their hearts out and share their raw emotions after competing. For Indian shooters Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker, the mixed zone meant tears of disappointment followed by a chance for redemption in the mixed team bronze medal match. Meanwhile, for Arjun Babuta, it was a space of utmost despair and disbelief as he missed out on an Olympic medal in the cruelest of ways. Despite feeling like a part of a dubious tradition of fourth-place finishers, Babuta remains determined to fight his thoughts and come out stronger next time.
After a promising start with Manu Bhaker's historic medal win, Team India had a mix of highs and lows on Day 3 of the Paris Olympics 2024. Badminton and archery events faced cancellations and eliminations, while the shooting team showed a valiant effort. Hockey and shooting provided moments to celebrate, but archery and badminton brought disappointment for the Indian contingent.
Indian shooters had a mixed day with Arjun Babuta narrowly missing out on a medal in the 10m air rifle men's final and Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh qualifying for the bronze medal match in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The Indian men's hockey team snatched a late 1-1 draw against Argentina while the men's archery team suffered a 6-2 defeat to Turkiye in the quarter-finals. However, Manika Batra kept the Indian flag flying high as she progressed to the R16 of women's singles table tennis.
Indian table tennis player Manika Batra shone at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning gold in the singles event. However, shooter Arjun Babuta narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the men's 10m Air Rifle final. On the other hand, Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh secured a spot in the bronze medal match for the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, giving India another chance at a podium finish.
Indian shooter Arjun Babuta narrowly missed a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in the Men's 10m Air Rifle final with a score of 208.4. The 25-year-old was in contention for a podium position throughout the competition, but fell short in his last two shots. China's Lihao Sheng won the gold medal with an Olympic Record-breaking score of 252.2. Indian shooters have been performing well in the Paris Olympics, with Ramita Jindal finishing seventh and the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh qualifying for the bronze medal match.
Indian shooter Arjun Babuta put up a valiant effort but ultimately finished fourth in the 10m Air Rifle event at the Paris Olympics 2024. The 25-year-old missed out on the podium by just a few points, with China's Sheng Lihao setting a new Olympic record with a score of 252.2. Babuta's compatriot Ramita Jindal also narrowly missed a medal, finishing seventh in the women's 10m Air Rifle final. The Indian shooting legend Abhinav Bindra, who won gold in the same discipline at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, also finished fourth in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker made history by winning a bronze medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event at Paris Olympics 2024. Bhaker, who struggled and went home without a medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, credited words from the Bhagwat Gita for helping her keep calm during the final. Along with Bhaker, rifle shooters Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta also secured final spots in their respective events, keeping India's hopes for more medals alive. Bhaker revealed that she focused on her karma, following the teachings of the Bhagwat Gita, which helped her overcome her previous disappointment and achieve success at the Paris Games.
India's Manu Bhaker had a stellar performance at the Paris Olympics, claiming bronze in the Women's 10m Air Pistol final. Bhaker broke the record of being the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Olympics, adding to India's medal tally. In other sports news, Arjun Babuta also secured a place in the Men's 10m Air Rifle finals and Manika Batra continued her winning streak in Table Tennis by winning her match against her opponent from Poland.