Tokyo Olympics 2020 day 9 Live: PV Sindhu advances to bronze medal match, Pooja Rani eliminated
Tokyo Olympics Day 10 Preview: Sindhu and men’s hockey team in action
Tokyo Olympics: Indian men’s hockey team face Great Britain threat
It has been a day full of disappointments for India at the Tokyo Olympics. Ind ace archer Atanu Das bowed out first after losing his pre-quarterfinals clash against Japan's Takaharu Furukawa who eventually went on to win Bronze.
Then Kamalprret Kaur probably the only bright light today qualified for the finals of the Discus Throw whereas Seema Punia failed to make the cut.
A lot was expected from World No. 1 pugilist, Amit Panghal who was simply outplayed by COlombia's Yuberjen Martínez. Pnaghal crashed out from the round of 16 breaking a lot of Indian hearts.
Lastly the day ended with a couple more disappointments as Pooja Rani and PV Sindhu lost their respective matches. Pooja bowed out against Li Qian in the quarterfinals where Sindhu lost her semifinals against Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-ying. Sindhu will now look forward to the bronze medal match.
BREAKING: As Great Britain defeated Ireland, India women's hockey team qualified to the Quarter-Finals of Tokyo Olympics with a fourth-place finish in Pool A in which they take on Australia.
Ireland looked clueless in attack against a more experienced British outfit. The Irish team were so desperate for goals towards the end of the match that they had substituted their goalkeeper off for an extra field player. But, to no avail. That victory for Great Britain confirms India's progression to the next round.
WHAT A HISTORIC DAY FOR INDIAN HOCKEY!! Earlier in the day, India had beaten South Africa 4-3 in a thrilling encounter. Vandana Katariya created history by becoming the first ever Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games. The Women in Blue have reached the knockout rounds for the first time ever. They will aim to replicate the heroics of 1980 Moscow Olympics team, when India had finished fourth. Sjoerd Marijne's is likely to face Australia in the quarter-finals.
You can watch highlights Indian women's team victory over South Africa here.
Meanwhile, Elaine Thompson-Herah has just broken the Olympics record in women's 100m. Her timing was 10.61 secs. She finished in front of Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce. Thompson-Herah has broken the record of the legendary FloJo. In fact, it was a 1-2-3 for Jamaica. What a sprint by the Jamaican women!
6:08 PM Women's Hockey Pool A: Hannah Martin scores her third goal in Tokyo 2020 to put Great Britain 2-0 up. The prolific forward has further made India jubilant. Irish women need three now. GBR 2-0 IRL
5:54 PM Women's Hockey Pool A: The Britishers started the second quarter on the front foot. That was rewarded with Townsend's goal from a penalty corner. The Irish women showed more intent after conceding the goal. However, Maddie Hinch has hardly had to touch the ball so far. The Indians will be hoping for more of the same. HT: GBR 1-0 IRL
5:51 PM Women's Hockey Pool A: Goal for Great Britain 1-0. Susanna Townsend with the strike. A penalty corner routine, found her in front of the goal and it was a routine finish. That will boost Indian hopes.
5:34 PM Women's Hockey Pool A: The first quarter comes to an end. Great Britain have looked more dangerous in attack, and defended well in the other end of the pitch. It has been a good competitive match so far, and you would expect that between two rival teams. Things are still in India's favour so far. GBR 0-0 IRL
5:10 PM Women's Hockey Pool A: The final Pool A match between Great Britain and Ireland will begin soon. The match will decide Indian women's national team's fate at the Tokyo Olympics. A win or even a draw for Great Britain will send India through.
4:40 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Punit says that it was a mammoth task from the beginning, and Tai Tzu-Ying's form made it even more difficult. Brilliant from the Chinese Taipei player. Sindhu tried brilliantly but failed to break her opposition's rhythm. Maybe starting as an underdog did not help her. Maybe the expectations put a lot of pressure. Maybe her opponent's superior game outdid her.
4:38 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying needed just a single match point to finish off the tie. A disappointing end to Sindhu's gold quest. She had not dropped a single set until now. Now she has the bronze medal to compete for.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 12-21 Tzu-ying
4:35 PM Men's Long Jump Group B Qualification: Sreeshankar just had his final jump and got a score of 7.43. His worst run of the 3. Lets see if its enough for him to earn his qualification.
4:34 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: The unforced errors do not seem to stop at the moment for Sindhu and Tzu-ying is beginning to walk all over her.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 8-14 Tzu-ying
Punit says that at 11-7, SIndhu needs to up the ante. She's not going to win this game with a defensive game plan. Might just go all out and force Tai to think differently. Three-four rapid smashes and the game can turn on its head. She must also try the fake drop shots.
4:32 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Halfway into the second set. Tzu-ying has taken a commanding four point lead. Sindhu who started the match very well needs to get her act together if she is to make a comeback.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 7-11 Tzu-ying
In Punit's opinion, Sindhu is now feeling a lot of pressure. She's having to move a lot more around the court, only down to the brilliance of her opponent, the World No. 1, who's earned 4 straight points. Sindhu's smashes, her strength, are now loosing direction. She's also changed her serve a little. Let's see how that pans out for her.
4:29 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying's drop shots have been sensational all game and Sindhu is beginning to make a few unforced errors now. She trails.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 5-7 Tzu-ying
4:27 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: The second set has started in similar fashion to the first. Sindhu is on the backfoot but she has been responding well to everything thrown at her so far. The score is level at the moment.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 4-4 Tzu-ying
4:26 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Punit opines that Tzu-Ying's first serve returns has been better. Her placement is not just smart, but also with the right weight. Makes it very very difficult for Sindhu to launch a counter.
Punit --- That's exactly what she's doing here! A crackling smash wins her her first point of the second set. She's understood the game plan; now the job is to turn it around.
4:21 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: After trailing for most of the game, it is Tzu-ying that has crept ahead with the final push. Sindhu has been fantastic and is unfortunate to not have a point against her name here. She has shown a lot of spirit but she needs to muster even more if she is to make a comeback from a set down.
Score: Sindhu 18-21 Tzu-ying
Punit opines that a valiant fight from Sindhu will be needed for her to make a comeback in the second set. Tzu-Ying has been on the front foot, attacking right from the outset and hitting smashes with consummate ease. Sindhu needs to up her attacking game. She's been playing well defensively and close to the net, but the centre court attacking ante needs to be upped.
4:20 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: A very tight and nervy affair. We are in the closing stages of the game now. Sindhu trailing.
Score: Sindhu 18-20 Tzu-ying
4:19 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying found Sindhu on the backfoot and took advantage of that there. She levelled things up fantastically. However, Sindhu's fighting spirit is commendable as she takes the lead once again.
Score: Sindhu 17-16 Tzu-ying
4:18 PM Men's Long Jump Group B Qualification- Sreeshankar is currently in 9th spot after his second jump
4:15 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Fantastic drop shot from Sindhu! Her joy after every point has been the best part of this tie. She has now established a two point lead. Can she take the first set home?
Score: Sindhu 16-14 Tzu-ying
4:14 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying had taken a narrow lead for just a moment before the Indian levels it up yet again. These two are neck and neck. What an exhilarating tie it has been so far. Score: Sindhu 13-13 Tzu-ying
Our anlayst and feature writer Punit Tripathi thinks Sindhu is on the defence here. She's trying to force Tai into mistakes, who's attempting smashes and drop shots rapidly now. The waiting game from Sindhu as the score stands level 12-12.
4:11 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying has started the second half superbly. Three straight points and the scores are level.
Score: Sindhu 11-11 Tzu-ying
4:10 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Tzu-ying has done a commendable job so far to keep Sindhu on her toes and has prevented her from establishing a larger lead. We are halfway into the first game and it is the Indian who leads.
Score: Sindhu 11-8 Tzu-ying
04:09 PM Men's Long Jump Group B Qualification- The athletes will have to score a minimum of 8.15 to qualify or else the 12 best performers would qualify . I am sure Sreeshankar would keep that in mind in his final jump.
4:08 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: Great point from Sindhu there. Just as she was about to lose her balance to a cross court shot, she is able to respond with class. Sindhu extends her lead.
Score: Sindhu 10-7 Tzu-ying
4:06 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: It has been a battle of wits so far between these two sensational shuttlers. Each point has been a matter of fine margins. A very exciting match up so far. Sindhu leads.
Score: Sindhu 8-6 Tzu-ying
4:03 PM Badminton Women's singles semi finals: After a fast start from Tzu-ying, it is Sindhu who is looking in fantastic touch. Her height and reach have been a great asset to her thus far as she has been able to respond to everything thrown at her. She takes the lead with the first 5 points.Score: Sindhu 5-2 Tzu-ying
3:59 PM Badminton Women's singles semi final: Sindhu gets us underway and it is Tzu-ying who wins the first point with an aggressive smash.
3:58 PM Badminton Women's singles Semi finals: After a lengthy delay, we are here at the Musashino Forest Plaza for the all awaited semi final. India's Sindhu and Tai Tzu-ying from Chinese Taipei lock horns for a spot in the Olympic final. The duo have begun warming up.
3:57 PM Boxing: Women's Middleweight Quarterfinals: Heartbreak for Pooja Rani!! Li Qian controlled the bout from start to end and hardly broke a sweat against Pooja Rani who looked very nervous and out of ideas. Li Qian progresses to the semifinals after beating Pooja Rani 5-0.
3:54 Boxing: Women's Middleweight Quarterfinals: After the first round, Pooja looked down and out and has lost her self belief completely. It has been one way traffic from the start.
03:53 PM Men's Long Jump Group B Qualification: Sreeshankar lands his second jump and scores the same as his first jump 7.69.
3:51 PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight Quarterfinals: Li Qian has taken the second round aswell. 5-0 for her again
3:49 PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight Quarter finals: It is not looking good for Pooja Rani as Li Qian has taken the upper hand in the second round aswell. Quick counterpunching from the Chinese
3:48 PM PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight Quarter finals: Li Qians takes the first round 5-0
03:47 PM Men's Long Jump B Qualification- Indian jumper M. Sreeshankar hit his first jump and got a score of 7.69 in his first attempt.
3:46 PM Boxing Women's Middleweight Quarterfinals: It has been a very aggressive start from both the pugilists. It can go either way at the end of Round 1.
3:44 PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight Quarter finals: We are underway!! Pooja Rani dons the red while Li Qian is in blue.
3:43 PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight Quarter finals: It will be a tall task for Pooja Rani as she has faced Li Qian twice in the past and has ended up on the losing side. She will hope that she can break the jinx against the Chinese this time.
India may be assured of two medals in the next two events.
03:35 PM Men's Long Jump B Qualification- The World no 1 and no 2 seed Jamaica's Tajay Gayle and Cuba's Juan Miguel Echevarria respectively will also be providing stiff competition to the Indian long jumpe M. Sreeshankar r.
Two big events set to start, are you guys feeling nervous just like me? Comment and let us know. You can also tweet to us at @KhelNow with #Tokyo2020KhelNow. We will select the best ones and share here.
3:21 PM Badminton Women's semi final singles : PV Sindhu has made it to the final four of yet another Olympic Games and takes on the current world number 1, Tai Tzu-ying. Sindhu performed tremendously well in the semi final against Akane Yamaguchi but almost made things difficult for herself towards the end of the second set.
However, the Indian can certainly take confidence from her performances at the Olympics so far as she vies to improve upon the colour of her medal from Rio.
3:17 PM Boxing: It will be high octane clash when India pugilist Pooja Rani will go up against China's Li Qian for a place in the semifinals in the Women's Middleweight category. Li Qian is a Gold medal contender and will be a tough nut to crack for Pooja who is looking to replicate her compatriot Lovlina Borgohain and assure a place on the podium.
2:36 PM Athletics: Men’s Long Jump Qualifications
National record holder M. Sreeshankar will be India’s sole representative in this event on Day 9 at the Tokyo Olympics. He had secured a berth at the Games after breaking his own national record to set a new mark of 8.26m, at the Federation Cup in Patiala in March 2021.
The 22-year-old is one of India’s brightest young athletes. Catch him in action at 3:40 PM IST.
2:23 PM Equestrian: The dressage event for Equestrian ends today. In Day 1 of dressage, Fouaad Mirza finished with 28 penalty points, ranking 7th.
2:07 PM Boxing: Women’s Middleweight – Pooja Rani Vs Li Qian
Defending Asian champion Pooja Rani looks in good touch at the moment. Rani had won the gold medal at the 2021 Asian Championships held in Dubai. She has replicated that form at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 30-year-old was largely dominant, as she comfortably defeated Algerian Ichrak Chaib 5-0 in the Round of 16. Rani is now just a win away from confirming a medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics. Her quarterfinal opponent will be China’s Li Qian, on Day 9 at the Tokyo Olympics.
The bout will begin at 3:36 PM IST.
1:50 PM Badminton: Ace Indian badminton star P.V. Sindhu is edging ever closer to yet another Olympic medal. World No. 7 Sindhu will take on Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei in the semi-final.
There are no easy matches at this stage of a competition, especially at the Olympics. Tai Tzu-Ying is World No. 1. Therefore, it will be a challenging contest for a place in the summit clash. Match will start around 3:20 PM.
1:41 PM Golf: Anirban Lahiri will need a flurry of birdies on the final day to make it to the top half of the rankings and make it to the next level. Udayan Mane has played bravely, and has gained incomparable experience during the tournament. He will need to play out of his skin to make a defining mark hereon.
1:37 PM Golf: Anirban Lahiri's current score is -6 to par, and he's ranked 28th at the end of day 3.
Udayan Mane continues to be at the bottom end of the table, languishing at 55th. He's scored +2 par.
Xander Schauffele from USA has maintained his lead at the top of the table, hitting -14 to par. Japanese Hideki Matsuyama is feeling more comfortable by the day. He moves to the second spot with -12 to par.
12:56 PM: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team kept their Tokyo Olympics 2020 Quarter-Finals hopes alive after defeating South Africa 4-3 at the Oi Hockey Stadium here on Saturday. Vandana Katariya (4′, 17′, 49′) and Neha (32′) found the back of the net for India and helped their team clinch 3 crucial points in the competition. India’s place in the knock-out stage of the tournament depends on the match between Ireland and Great Britain at 5:15 PM IST today. You can read match report here.
Tokyo Olympics Hockey: India women defeat South Africa
Both medals for India at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 have come from athletes belonging to NorthEast India. My colleague Punit Tripathi has written a detailed piece explaining why the Indian Government needs to invest more in sporting infrastructure in the region. You can read it here.
Why Tokyo Olympics should be stepping stone for growth of sports in Northeast
Biggest news from the morning session is the success of Kamalpreet Kaur in the Discus Throw qualification. You can read about that and watch highlights here.
Kamalpreet Kaur qualifies for Tokyo Olympics Discus Throw finals
11:45 AM Indian pugilist Amit Panghal was knocked out after his opening bout itself against Colombian Yuberjen Martinez. The Indian shooters continue to disappoint with Anjum Moudgil and Tejaswini Sawant being the latest shooting failures for the Indian contingent at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
11:35 AM However, there were also bitter pills to swallow for Indian sports lovers as two of the country's biggest medal hopes bowed out of the Tokyo Olympics. Archer Atanu Das was beaten by London 2012 silver-medalist Takaharu Furukawa.
11:30 AM On the other hand, the Indian women’s national team forward Vandana Katariya becomes the first-ever Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games. She guided India to a crucial 4-3 win over South Africa. The Women in Blue will now hope for some favour from the British women later in the day. A win or even a draw for Great Britain versus Ireland will send India through to the knockout stages.
11:25 AM We have experienced a mixture of emotions this morning. Kamalpreet Kaur and Vandana Katariya have impressed for India. Kamalpreet qualified for the finals of the women’s discus throw with an effort of 64.00m. She will take part in the finals on 2nd August, and looks like a genuine medal contender for India.
11:15 AM The Indian duo of Anjum Moudgil and Tejaswini Sawant fail to qualify for the final as they finish the qualifying round in 15th and 33rd positions respectively. Moudgil’s sub-total in standings position is 382, while Sawant’s is 376. A total score of 1167 and 1154 for Anjum Moudgil and Tejaswini Sawant respectively was never going to be enough for a spot in the finals. Another day, yet another shooting disappointment!
10:55 AM Shooting: The women's 50m rifle 3 positions qualification round is still going on at the Asaka Shooting Range. We will keep you posted, regarding the rankings there as soon as they are confirmed.
10:42 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: The Women in Blue will now pray for a helping hand from the Great Britain team. The British women will take to the field in their final Pool A match against Ireland later in the day. A win for Great Britain or even a draw will send India through to the knockout rounds of Tokyo 2020.
10:39 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: We have to praise South Africa for their efforts in this match. Their goalkeeper Phumelela Mbande was impressive in particular. She made several saves to thwart the Indian attack. However, the match belongs to Vandana Katariya. The 29-year-old becomes the first-ever Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games. What an achievement!
10:34 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: INDIA WINS!!! What a frantic finish to an incredible contest! Vandana Katariya creates history and helps the team to a 4-3 win. The outfit gives themselves a strong chance to finish among the qualifying places.
10:30 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: South Africa quickly move up the pitch and get a penalty corner themselves. The decision is challenged through a video referral by India which goes in their favour!
10:28 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Expectedly India is defending in numbers here. The ball is in South Africa's half which is good for the Indians. Meanwhile, a 10th penalty corner is awarded to the Indians, and the attempt is saved by Mbande's extending left leg.
10:24 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: India is trying to keep their opponents at bay here. Losing the lead for the fourth time would be unforgivable and hugely disappointing. The possession going back and forth between the teams with six minutes left to play. Can Indian women hold on?
10:18 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: FOURTH GOAL FOR INDIA!! HATTRICK FOR VANDANA! India's eighth penalty corner is saved well by Mbande. The Indians asks for a video referral which leads to their ninth penalty corner. The ensuing attempt by Rani Rampal is deflected by Vandana inside the goal, giving India a lead for the fourth time! It is 4-3! Therefore, Vandana Katariya becomes the first-ever Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Olympic Games. Kudos to Vandana!
10:15 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: South Africa have started the fourth quarter on a strong note. They get a fourth penalty corner which is blocked well by the advancing defenders. India is trying to move up the field but is slow due to the effects of the weather conditions.
10:12 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Fourth quarter starts. Final 15 minutes for India to write their destiny and have a small chance to secure a knockouts berth. They must win this fixture to have a slim chance. Meanwhile, South Africa get their second penalty corner which leads to a third penalty corner, which in turn is blocked. The South Africans are aiming to end their Tokyo 2020 campaign with their heads held high.
10:08 AM Shooting: After the fourth series of the prone position, Anjum Moudgil sits in 10th place with a subtotal of 395. Meanwhile, her compatriot Tejaswini Sawant is currently in the 29th spot. Her subtotal is 394. Just a reminder, that only the top 8 shooters will qualify for the finals. Moudgil is India's best bet now. Can she grab a spot in the finals?
10:05 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Quanita Bobbs of South Africa receives a green card and has to leave the turf momentarily. India finished the third quarter strongly but Mbande makes a crucial save to keep them out. Another green card meanwhile is shown to Lilian du Plessis. That also brings an end to an exciting third quarter.
10:02 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Green card for Monika for a poor challenge. Frustration is setting in the Indian ranks as the South Africans are pushing hard for the next goal.
9:59 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: GOAL! It is 3-3 after South Africa make a comeback for the third time. It could not get any worse for India who simply cannot hold on to their lead in this game. The scorer is Marizen Marais in the 39th minute of the contest. Sjoerd Marijne looks speechless right now. This is unacceptable!
9:55 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: India is dominating the possession in the current phase of the game. India must not allow South Africa a chance to claw their way back for the third time and look to score more goals themselves. They need to win with a big margin. Lots of rolling substitutions can be seen due to fatigue. Meanwhile, India's Lalremsiami receives a green card.
9:51 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: INDIA SCORES THE THIRD GOAL!!!! It is 3-2!!! India gets their seventh penalty corner of the match and the ball is deflected in by Neha Goyal. An innovative penalty corner routine did the trick for India on this occasion.
9:47 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: The third quarter has begun at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo. South Africa have dealt a huge blow to India scoring the second equaliser of the game just before the end of the second quarter.
9:42 AM Both the goals for India has come from experienced forward Vandana Katariya. Here's what she had to say in an exclusive conversation with Khel Now. Read here.
9:37 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: India will be bitterly disappointed after conceding two goals before the end of both quarters. They must win this game and need to be more clinical, especially with their penalty corner conversion which stands at 1/6. South Africa have done well to stay in the game and score equalisers when the chance was there.
9:35 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: GOAL. It is 2-2 after South Africa finish the second quarter on a high. They get the first penalty corner of the game and score from it through their skipper Erin Hunter.
9:30 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Indian women are creating a lot of scoring opportunities here. They have kept up the tempo in search of more goals. A shot from Neha Goyal from close-range is saved well by the South African goalkeeper. The ball is moving around in South Africa's half majorly.
9:25 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: It has been a very open game despite the tough conditions. The fifth penalty corner for the Indian team results in a bit of confusion during the trapping. The following series of events lead to India's sixth penalty corner which is again saved by the goalkeeper.
9:21 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: INDIA SCORES AGAIN! FINALLY FROM A PENALTY CORNER!! India score from their fourth penalty corner. They missed 14 penalty corners against Ireland in the previous game. The trend ends in this match as Vandana scores her second goal of the match. This is Women in Blue's second penalty corner goal at the Tokyo Olympics. It's 2-1 to India now!
9:20 AM Shooting: Tejaswini Sawant climbs up to 32nd place after four series of kneeling position with a subtotal of 384.
9:17 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: The second quarter is underway as both teams try to score the next goal and get the lead. The heat is unrelenting for the players as they keep themselves hydrated. Fans at home are also feeling the heat as this match is make-or-break for the Indian team.
9:16 AM Shooting: Anjum Moudgil has climbed up the ladder and is currently sitting at 11th place. She has scored a subtotal of 390 in the four series of kneeling positions.
9:14 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: The first quarter ends with a penalty corner for India which is saved. India desperately needs more goals if they are to have a chance to advance into the quarterfinals. They are throwing all that they have at South Africa but their defence is holding strong. We are level at 1-1 after the conclusion of the first quarter.
9:12 AM Shooting: Tejaswini Sawant needs to improve her shots. She is at 34th place after three series of shots in the kneeling position with a subtotal of 287.
9:10 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: South Africa scores. It is 1-1. A very disappointing end to the first quarter for India. The scorer is adjudged to be Tarryn Glasby. A bitter outcome for Indian women.
9:07 AM Shooting: Anjum Moudgil falls to 14th place after the third series in kneeling position with a subtotal of 302.
9:05 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Four minutes left to go for the first quarter and both teams are exchanging possession. There is visible fatigue on the faces of the players due to the heat in Tokyo. The score is still 1-0 in India's favour.
9:01 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Vandana Katariya has been adjudged as the scorer for India on the 4th minute of the match. India should use the momentum to their advantage and aim to score another goal in the first quarter.
8:58 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: INDIA SCORES!! It is 1-0 after the goalkeeper's stick inadvertently guides the ball inside the goal. Finally, a sigh of relief for the Indians as their strong start bears good result.
8:55 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Lots of stoppages here due to the video referrals. This time India asks for one and wins their second penalty corner of the match already. The attempt is deflected away and there is another referral here! Heat is getting to everyone on the turf it seems.
8:50 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: Penalty corner! India starts on the front foot and wins their first penalty corner of the match. The video referral upholds the referee's decision but South Africa keep their referral intact. The attempt by Gurjit Kaur is saved fabulously by Luphumlo! So near!
8:47 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: We are underway here! The sun is shining bright and the humid conditions will again play a role here. Can Rani Rampal lead her team to another win? It is going to be interesting in terms of the outcome of the Pool standings.
8:45 AM Shooting: Moudgil has gone down in rankings to 12th with a subtotal of 157 after the first two series in kneeling position.
8:42 AM Women's Hockey Pool A: India vs South Africa is about to start in a few minutes as the players make their way on the turf. This is a must-win game for the Indian women and they must rely on results elsewhere even after securing a win to have hopes of a quarterfinal berth.
8:40 AM Shooting: Moudgil with a good start, as she is in 5th place. Sawant is currently in 27th position.
8:35 AM Shooting: A total of 37 women will be participating in the qualification round. Only the top 8 shooters will qualify for the finals. Moudgil is World No. 27, whereas Sawant is World No. 28. However, rankings hardly matter in Olympics so we are hoping they can deliver in Tokyo.
8:30 AM Shooting: The women's 50 m rifle 3 qualifications is about to begin in a few minutes with India's Tejaswini Sawant and Anjum Moudgil looking to make it to the finals. Can they bring some good news from India's faltering challenge in shooting?
8:24 AM Women's Discus Throw: Kamalpreet Kaur finishes in second place overall. Seema Punia misses the cut, she finishes in 16th place. India will have a representative in the finals of an athletics event. Kamalpreet looks like a genuine medal contender in Tokyo now!
8:16 AM Women's Discus Throw: After a difficult start for India in all events today, Kamalpreet Kaur brings the first set of good news today. She has secured qualification for the finals, which will take place on 2nd August. As for Seema Punia, her journey in the Olympic Games looks all but done. Great performance from Kamalpreet Kaur! We hope she can replicate it or do even better in the finals.
8:13 AM Women's Discus Throw: As for World No. 1, Yaime Perez, she finishes in fifth place with a best score of 63.18m from the qualifying rounds. Not a bad performance from the Cuban.
8:10 AM Women's Discus Throw: India's Kamalpreet Kaur takes centre stage for the last time today. Kaur is simply on fire today! She has bettered her second attempt with an even more impressive throw. With her 64.00m throw, this time she makes the cut for automatic qualification. What a performance this has been from Kaur!
8:08 AM Golf: Indian Anirban Lahiri is ranked T24 at the end of Round 2. He has a total score of 139, with 3 under par (-3).
8:05 AM Women's Discus Throw: Italy's Daisy Osakue's second attempt of 63.66m is a new Italian national record. However, Osakue's third attempt is invalid. Kamalpreet continues to be in second place. Impressive!
8:01 AM Women's Discus Throw: China's Yang Chen gets the third attempts underway with a rare failed attempt of Group B. In addition to this, owing to the competitive and high octane nature of this group, Seema Punia's journey from Group A looks all but complete. Qualification hopes for her seem very slim and the brunt of India's hopes now lie on Kamalpreet Kaur, who continues to impress us.
7:58 AM Women's Discus Throw: A sensational throw from India's talented Kamalpreet Kaur. After falling down to 10th place, she has now climbed into second!! Her second attempt throw was absolutely incredible. She registered a 63.97m throw, narrowly short of the automatic qualification mark by 0.03m. Brilliant from the Indian.
7:54 AM Women's Discus Throw: Yet another impressive throw, here, in Group B. Portuguese Liliana CA makes a 5m improvement from the first round and registers a 62.85m throw. She climbs into fifth place. This Group has been incredibly entertaining and competitive. We have only witnessed three failed attempts so far and all the athletes look neck and neck at the moment.
7:52 AM It has not been a good morning for Indian sports lovers so far. Two medal hopefuls Atanu Das and Amit Panghal have been knocked out within a space of few minutes. We are now hoping for good news from the discus event.
7:50 AM Women's Discus Throw: An incredible throw from the Italian Daisy Osakue who makes a more than 10m improvement from her first throw. she has completely leapfrogged the table from second last to second from the top. Absolutely incredible! Meanwhile, Kamalpreet Kaur has slipped down to 9th place as she waits for her second attempt.
7:47 AM Women's Discus Throw: With this, Round 1 comes to an end. Only one solitary failed attempt from Brazil's Andressa de Morais, the rest all registered attempts above 50m. Seven athletes registered attempts above the 60m mark, a significant upgrade from the level seen in Group A earlier this morning.
7:45 AM Boxing: Amit Panghal loses the bout 4-1. Lack of attacking approach in the last round cost the game for Amit. A Round of 16 exit for the Indian. That was not expected, especially after the way he had started the bout.
7:43 AM Women's Discus Throw: India's Kamalpreet Kaur has come to the centre and produced a remarkable throw. Her 60.29m throw places her in 5th place at the moment. A respectable position for the Indian from which she will only try to improve now. As things stand, both the Indians are progressing into the finals.
7:42 AM Men's Individual 1/8 Elimination Archery: In the decisive set of the game, the Indian could not hold his nerve and scores a mere 26 which didn't prove enough against the Japanese Archer who scored 27. A 6-4 loss overall. With this Atanu's journey at the Tokyo Olympics comes to an end.
7:40 AM Boxing: A major turnaround this time, after the second round Martinez is leading with 4-1. The deciding third round coming up. Can Amit shine in this round? It is a very crucial round for Amit, he needs to win this round to secure a victory.
7:39 AM Women's Discus Throw: This has been an incredible start to the first attempts in Group B. We are none throws in and there have been no failed attempts until now. A HUGE contrast from Group A where we saw seven failed attempts in the first round.
7:38 AM Boxing: A great display of skillset from Amit Panghal, as he is very easily destroying the opponent's defence.
7:36 AM Men's Individual Archery 1/8 Elimination Round: Atanu Das bows out of the Tokyo Olympics after losing the fifth set. Overall, he loses the contest by a margin of 4-6.
7:34 AM Boxing: Amit has not wasted any time and started to land punches on his opponent. Great footwork by the Indian boxer and he is showcasing an aggressive approach from the start.
7:32 AM Women's Discuss Throw: China's Bin Feng gets us underway in group B of the women's discus qualifiers. A very competitive start here with two 60+ throws amongst the first athletes already! Kamalpreet is waiting in the wings.
7:30 AM Boxing: The game is all set to commence. Amit is in red and Martinez is in blue.
7:28 AM Men's Individual Archery 1/8 Elimination Round: Atanu Das makes a comeback and seals the second game. 3-1 is the score after 2 sets. Can he keep the momentum going?
7:23 AM Men's Individual Archery 1/8 Elimination Round: The Japanese archer Takaharu Furukawa takes the first set as he hits a total of 27 points while his counterpart could only hit 25.
7:20 AM Boxing: Amit Panghal, one of India's biggest medal hope is all set to make his Olympics debut today against Colombian boxer Yuberjen Martinez.
7:17 AM Men's Individual Archery - 1/8 Elimination Round: India's Atanu Das takes on Japanese archer Takaharu Furukawa in an all-important 1/8 elimination round clash. We will bring you all the updates from that enticing encounter as well.
7:15 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Group B is an extremely competitive group. It contains the likes of World No. 1 Yaime Perez of Cuba, World No. 4 Valarie Allman of the USA, World No. 5 Bin Feng Of China, her compatriot World No. 7 Yang Chen and World No. 8 Claudine Vita of Germany.
Hence, this already looks like a much tougher group. However, all eyes will be on India's hope Kamalpreet Kaur.
7:10 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: We will shift our attention towards Group B qualifications. India's Kamalpreet Kaur will soon be in action.
At the Federation Cup, Kaur had become the country’s first woman discus thrower to breach the 65m mark. Due to this, she had booked her spot at the Tokyo Olympics. In achieving a 66.59m distance at the Indian Athletics Grand Prix 4, Kaur registered the best-ever discus throw by an Indian. The 25-year-old went past the men’s national record which stands at 66.28m. It was set by Vikas Gowda at the Old Style Discus Challenge held in Norman, United States in 2012.
Can Kamalpreet Kaur replicate her rich vein of form in Tokyo?
7:05 AM Equestrian: India's first participant in equestrian sports for 21 years, Fouaad Mirza has performed well so far. The Indian jockey and his horse Seigneur Medicott continues to occupy the 7th spot. Can he jump further up the table?
6:58 AM Golf: Anirban Lahiri is currently in T23 position as the 3rd round continues. On the other hand, another Indian representative Udayan Mane lies down at the T56 spot. It is fair to say, Lahiri's performance has been decent so far. However, there is still room for improvement.
6:52 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Portugal's Irina Rodriguez concludes the Group A qualifiers with a 57.03m throw. Her best of the day but qualifications does look tough for her. Sandra Perkovic and Kristin Pudenz lie at the summit of the table, separated by just 0.02m. The duo has been excellent today. As for India's Seema Punia, her second throw was good enough to keep her in sixth place and in contention for qualification. Clearing the 60m mark hasn't been a regularity in these qualifiers and Seema can take confidence from that as she waits for the Group B qualifiers now.
6:47 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: It has been an exciting round of final attempts so far. The majority of the throws have landed between the 55-60 mark. It seems like the big challenge is to cross that 60m mark. So far, there have been only six athletes who have succeeded.
6:42 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: What a throw from Kristin Pudenz! She musters a 63.73 throw, just .02 shy of the Croatian leader. An extremely close affair at the top of the table at the moment. However, both athletes will be happy with their performance as they have more or less secured qualification at this point.
6:38 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: A disappointing last throw from Sandra Perkovic. The two-time gold medalist has ended with two failed attempts now, relying on her first attempt. Nonetheless, she stays put in the first place. It looks like qualification is certain for the defending champion!
6:35 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: The experienced Indian's third attempt was just under her second. She does not look happy at all. Punia must be disappointed by throwing much under her best numbers in the final round of these qualifiers. She remains in 6th as of now. Will it be enough for Seema Punia?
6:30 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: A couple of excellent throws from Jamaican Shadae Lawrence and Frenchwoman Melina Robert-Michon see them leapfrog Punia in the rankings. They now sit in 3rd and 4th respectively. But, Seema is still in the fifth spot. Not bad for starters!
6:25 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Five throws into the second attempts, Seema's score has been the best in this round. Three out of these five attempts were failed attempts. Seema stays put in third as of now. Mind you either a 64.00m or a best 12 finish will take her to the finals.
6:20 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: An excellent second throw from the Indian! She looked delighted with it as well. Seema Punia climbs up the table with an impressive 60.75m throw. It's the third best of the day so far. That's what we were looking for!
6:15 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: The first attempts are over now and it is Sandra Perkovic from Croatia who leads the rankings. Seema is amongst 7 who registered a fail attempt and have no score to show as of now. The Indian will hope for a much-improved throw in her second attempt.
6:07 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Rio 2016 and London 2012 gold medalist and current World No. 2 Sandra Perkovic has already set the benchmark for other athletes to follow. She achieves a distance of 63.75m in her very first throw. Time to roll up your sleeves, Seema!
6:02 AM Athletics - Women's Discuss Throw: Seema Punia is the first athlete on the list and gets us underway! Not the best way to get your day started as Punia's first attempt flew outside the grid. Failed attempt from the Indian to begin with.
6:00 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: However, it isn't going to be easy by any means. Seema will be competing in Group A alongside World No. 2 Sandra Perkovic of Croatia, World No. 3 Denia Caballero of Cuba and World No. 6 Kristin Pudenz of Germany.
There are no easy opponents at this stage, as you can see!
5:55 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Aged 38, Seema has already silenced her critics by qualifying for her fourth Olympics campaign. Punia had qualified via the National Inter-State Athletics Championships.
5:52 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: Seema Punia will be aiming to hit the 64-mark or finish in the top 12 in order to qualify for the next round.
5:50 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: National record holder Kamalpreet Kaur will also be seen in this event. The qualification rounds have been split into Group A and Group B. Seema is in Group A and Kamalpreet has been placed in Group B. So, at first, let's focus our attention on Seema Punia.
5:45 AM Athletics - Women's Discus Throw: The women's discus throw will be the first event of the day. We will see India's Seema Punia in action at this event.
A veteran of the Indian athletics scenario having won several medals in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, can she come up with the goods at the Tokyo Olympics?
5:40 AM Good Morning, ladies and gentlemen! This is Shibajee Das here. I will be taking you through the events of the morning session.
5:30 AM The Indian pair of Udayan Mane and Anirban Lahiri will resume their qualification rounds in the Individual Stroke Play event in Golf on day 9 of the Tokyo Olympics. After that, Fouaad Mirza will represent India at the equestrian event. He is currently in 7th place after the individual eventing dressage sessions 1 and 2. Two Indian women, Kamalpreet Kaur and Seema Punia are all set to take part in the Tokyo Olympics. They will represent India in the women's discus throw event.
All eyes on Atanu and Amit
Atanu Das will be carrying high hopes going into the decisive day of the men’s individual archery event on day 9 of the Tokyo Olympics. The 29-year-old triumphed 6-4 over Chinese Taipei’s Deng Yu-Cheng in the first match. That was followed by a stunning victory against third-seed two-time Olympic gold medalist Oh Jin-Hyek of South Korea. Das will have another challenge on his hands against London 2012 silver medalist Takaharu Furukawa of Japan in the 1/8 elimination round.
The eagerly awaited Olympic debut of Amit Panghal will take place on Saturday. The 25-year-old boxer is one of India’s biggest medal prospects. He will begin his Olympic campaign with a Round of 16 bout against Colombia’s Yuberjen Rivas Martinez. Two more Indian shooters will have the opportunity to rescue the Indian shooting contingent’s faltering campaign on Saturday. Anjum Moudgil and Tejaswini Sawant are the highest-ranked Indians in this category and will represent the nation in Tokyo in the women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions.
Ganapathy Kelapanda (helm) and Varun Thakkar (crew) will be representing India at the men’s skiff 49er races. The Indian women’s hockey team will take part in their final group stage game against South Africa. For the first time at the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian women will face a lower-ranked opposition. They will be expected to win this encounter at the Oi Hockey Stadium.
Sindhu and Pooja within touching distance
Ace Indian badminton star P.V. Sindhu is edging ever closer to yet another Olympic medal. World No. 7 Sindhu will take on Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei in the semi-final. Defending Asian champion Pooja Rani is now just a win away from confirming a medal for India at the Tokyo Olympics. Her quarterfinal opponent will be China’s Li Qian. Finally, national record holder M. Sreeshankar will be India’s sole representative in the men's long jump event.
5:30 AM Hello and welcome to Khel Now’s live updates of Day 9 of the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo Olympics Day 9 will witness several high-profile Indian athletes in action. On Friday, victories were picked up by Lovlina Borgohain, P.V. Sindhu, the Indian men's and women's hockey teams. However, Deepika Kumari bowed out of the Tokyo Olympics after reaching the quarter-finals.
On Saturday, several Indian medal hopefuls will be seen at Tokyo 2020. Medal hopefuls such as Atanu Das, P.V. Sindhu, Amit Panghal, Kamalpreet Kaur and several others will be in action in their respective events.
Day 9 Full Schedule
Golf: Men’s Individual Stroke Play Round 3
Equestrian: Individual Eventing Dressage Session 3
Athletics: Women’s Discus Throw Qualifications
Archery: Men’s Individual 1/8 Eliminations – Atanu Das Vs Takaharu Furukawa (Medal Event)
Boxing: Men’s Flyweight – Amit Panghal Vs Yuberjen Rivas Martinez
Shooting: Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Qualification (Medal Event)
Sailing: Men’s Skiff 49er
Women’s Hockey: India Vs South Africa
Badminton: Women’s Singles Semi-final - P.V. Sindhu Vs Tai Tzu-Ying
Boxing: Women’s Middleweight – Pooja Rani Vs Li Qian
Athletics: Men’s Long Jump Qualifications
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.