Tokyo Games 2020 Highlights: How India’s Women Have Fared So Far

‘Tis the season for the Olympics. While our players are going full sprint in Tokyo, we give you a quick roundup on how women fared in the games.

After India’s flying start on the first day with weightlifter Mirabai Chanu bringing glory, the nation went on a disappointment spree.

India had a depressing outing on Day 2 of the Tokyo Games. From shooting failures to hockey decimation, there were many misses across the sporting events.

The most anticipated shooting team failed to impress and qualify for the finals in individual and group events.

However, the two saviours on the day were olympic medalists PV Sindhu and Mary Kom. The latter advanced to the last-16 stage on the second day with a win over Miguelina Hernandez Garcia of the Dominican Republic in the 51kg category.

Meanwhile Sindhu defeated current World No 58, Ksenia Polikarpova at Women's Singles Group Play Stage. She further delivered another fine performance to beat Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi 21-9, 21-16 and enter the elimination round of the Games on Wednesday.

Other boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Pooja Rani qualified to the quarterfinals and are one win away from bagging a medal.

In sailing Nethra Kumanan, the first-ever Indian woman sailor managed to finish at 16th in the second race of women's one person dinghy. Despite performing well, she could not manage to secure a place in the top 10.

Archery superstar Deepika Kumari too failed to qualify for the finals in the individual and group events. She will be now contesting in the elimination rounds.

Judo player Shushila Likmabam and gymnast Pranati Nayak’s olympic journey ended quite early with both failing to qualify.

The Indian tennis team's campaign with Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina too came to an end. The duo was knocked out in the first round of women's doubles by Ukranian twins Nadiia and Liudmyla Kichenok. Mirza and Raina won the first set 6-0 and were leading 5-2 in the second set and still went on to lose the match.

In table tennis, Manika Batra created history by becoming the first Indian table tennis player to reach the third round but was defeated by Austria's Sofia Polcanova.

Table tennis player Sutirtha Mukherjee too could not pull off a second consecutive comeback win in women's singles and was knocked out in the second round on Monday. The 98th-ranked Mukherjee lost 0-4 to the 55th-ranked Fu Yu of Portugal.

CA Bhavani Devi made India proud on Monday as she won India’s first-ever fencing match at the Tokyo Games. Her dream Olympic debut at the Games ended in the Round of 32 as she lost to World No 3 Manon Brunet.

Meanwhile, Maana Patel, India's lone female swimmer at the Games came second in Heat 1 of the 100m backstroke but failed to advance to the semifinals.

In the group event, the women's hockey team lost three consecutive games in the group stage. They lost to the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain.

(Edited by Amrita Ghosh)

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