Badminton star Lakshya Sen was one of the prominent athletes who narrowly missed out on a medal. Sen, in his Olympic debut, reached the semi-finals in the men's singles. However, he lost the bronze medal match to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in a tense three-game contest, ending 21-13, 16-21, 11-21. This marks the first time since 2008 that India has failed to secure a medal in badminton at the Olympics, breaking a 12-year streak. Despite his loss, Sen's performance in Paris was notable, having defeated several higher-ranked players, including HS Prannoy and Chou Tien Chen, to reach the semi-finals.
In golf, Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar showed potential but couldn't secure top positions. Sharma finished with a total score of 211 after three rounds, while Bhullar completed the 18-hole course in 71 shots in his final round. Their exact rankings are yet to be confirmed as the competition progresses.
Sailing also saw Indian hopes dashed as Nethra Kumanan, who had a strong start, slipped to 24th place after six races in the women's dinghy event. Kumanan, who was initially ranked 11th, struggled in subsequent races, significantly impacting her standings. Similarly, Vishnu Saravanan in the men's dinghy event ended in 23rd place after six races, despite a promising start.
In shooting, Maheshwari Chauhan is currently ranked eighth in the women's skeet qualification, with hopes still alive for a top-six finish to qualify for the finals. However, Raiza Dhillon, another medal contender, is positioned 25th, making her chances of advancing slim.
Despite these setbacks, India did secure three bronze medals in other events, with contributions from shooters Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and Swapnil Kusale. India's Chef-de-Mission, Gagan Narang, emphasized the importance of celebrating all Olympians for their hard work and dedication, regardless of the outcome. Narang, a bronze medalist from the London 2012 Olympics, highlighted the narrow margins that often separate winners from the rest at such elite levels of competition.