PANAJI: Indian fencer Bhavani Devi went down after an impressive debut in fencing at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The 27-year-old fencer from Chennai later posted a tweet emphasising ‘did my level best’ as India made its first ever appearance in Olympics fencing discipline. Early morning on Monday, she lost to world No. 3 and Rio Olympian Manon Brunet of France, 7-15 in the second round of women’s individual sabre.
Bhavani Devi shared her feelings in a tweet, saying: “Big Day. It was Excitement & Emotional. I won the First Match 15/3 against Nadia Azizi and become the First INDIAN Fencing Player to win a Match at Olympic but 2nd Match I lost 7/15 against world top 3 player Manon Brunet. I did my level best but couldn’t win. I am sorry 🙏 🇮🇳
Elsewhere, legendary Indian table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal beat Tiago Apolonia of Portugal in the second round of the men’s singles. World No. 29 Sharath Kamal won 2-11, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9. Sutirtha Mukherjee lost in the women’s singles event, going down against Fu Yu 11-3, 11- 3, 11-5, 11-5.
In badminton, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a 21-13, 21-12 loss to Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sukamuljo of Indonesia in their second group stage of the men’s doubles event.
India lost to defending champions Korea in the quarter-final of the men’s archery team event as Atanu Das, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav went down 6-0 to the Korean team.
Meanwhile, India’s shooters Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmad Khan failed to qualify for the final of the men’s skeet event. In tennis, Sumit Nagal succumbed 2-6, 1-6 to the might of ROC’s Daniil Medvedev in the second round.
ACTION LATER TODAY: India Women’s Hockey Team take on Germany at 5.45 PM IST.
