Tokyo Olympics 2021 Highlights: Sindhu wins bronze, hockey team in semis

Sindhu won the bronze medal in women's singles badminton while men's hockey team defeated Great Britain 3-1 to enter semis. India has now equalled its tally of 2016 Rio Olympics.

9:28 PM

President, PM congratulate Sindhu for winning bronze in Tokyo

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated P.V. Sindhu for winning the bronze medal in badminton at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

The Prime Minister also spoke to Sindhu.

Congratulating Sindhu, President Kovind tweeted: "P V Sindhu becomes the first Indian woman to win medals in two Olympic games. She has set a new yardstick of consistency, dedication and excellence. My heartiest congratulations to her for bringing glory to India."

Modi termed Sindhu "India's pride".

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said: "We are all elated by the stellar performance by @Pvsindhu1. Congratulations to her on winning the Bronze at @Tokyo2020. She is India's pride and one of our most outstanding Olympians. #Tokyo2020."

9:27 PM

Sindhu delivered 200% in her defence in bronze medal match: coach Park

India's foreign badminton coach Park Tae-Sang is extremely pleased that the multiple sessions spent to hone P V Sindhu's defensive skills in the run-up to the Olympics paid rich dividends as she claimed a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

Sindhu, a 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, on Sunday beat world no.9 He Bing Jiao of China in the bronze play-off to become only the second Indian and the country's first woman to win two Olympic medals.

Park had worked a lot on Sindhu's defence and motion skills in the run-up to the Olympics and he said the hard work really paid off.

"For Sindhu defence has been a weakness, there is no problem with her attack. Every player, every coach knows that and today her defence was 200%. It was superb. In fact, the entire tournament, barring yesterday, she has been very good in defence," Park told PTI.

"We have been working every day on her net play and defence and I am happy it worked."

9:26 PM

List of Sindhu's achievements

The following is the list of badminton star P V Sindhu's major wins in her glorious career:

Olympics:

*Silver medal in 2016

*Bronze medal in 2020

World Championships:

*Gold medal in 2019

*Silver medal in 2018

*Silver medal in 2017

*Bronze medal 2014

*Bronze medal in 2013

Asian Games:

* Silver medal in 2018

* Women's Team bronze in 2014

Commonwealth Games:

*Silver medal in 2018

*Mixed Team gold medal in 2018

*Bronze medal in 2014

Asian Championships:

*Bronze medal in 2014.

BWF World Tour Finals/BWF Super Series Finals

*Champion in 2018

*Runners-up in 2017.

India Open Super Series champion

*Champion in 2017

*Runners-up in 2018

China Open Super Series premier

*Champion in 2016.

Korea Open Super Series

*Champion in 2017.

8:27 PM

Tokyo Olympics, Day 9: Sindhu, Indian men's hockey team headline India's show

 

 

Ace badminton player PV Sindhu and the Indian men's hocket team stole the show on Sunday, the day nine of the Tokyo Olympics with both winning their respective games.

 

While Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals as she defeated China's He Bing Jiao in the bronze medal match, the Indian men's hockey team reach the semi-finals of the Games for the first time in the 21st century.

 

Sindhu defeated China's He Bing Jiao 21-13, 21-15 in the bronze medal match that lasted for 52 minutes. Sindhu had earlier returned with a silver medal at the Rio Olympics 2016.

 

On the other hand, the Indian men's hockey team reached the semi-final of the Olympics after defeating Great Britain 3-1 on Sunday.

 

In the morning, boxer Satish Kumar bowed out of the competition after losing against Uzbekistan's Bakhodir Jalolov in the quarter-finals of the men's super heavyweight (+91kg) category.

 

Top seed Bakhodir Jalolov dominated the bout in all three rounds as he won by an anonymous 5-0 decision on Sunday.

 

Equestrian Fouaad Mirza and his horse Seigneur Medicott currently are in 22nd place after completing the cross country course with 11.20 points.

 

Fouaad Mirza, one of the top 10 finishers after Dressage currently has 39.20 penalty points in total (dressage and cross country) with the jumping event scheduled for August 2.

 

Golfer Anirban Lahiri ended his Tokyo Olympics journey as he finished at Tied 42nd in the men's competition.

8:19 PM

Congrats to our awesome Sindhu on her 2nd successive Olympics medal: Gopichand

Shuttler PV Sindhu created history on Sunday as she became the only Indian woman athlete to win two Olympic medals. And chief coach of the Indian badminton team Pullela Gopichand not just congratulated her, but also expressed satisfaction that badminton players have now won medals in three successive editions of the Games.

"Congrats to our awesome Sindhu on her 2nd successive Olympics medal. While it is all due to the hard work by her and the team of coaches and support staff, I also want to express my gratitude to the support of Sports Ministry, Indian Government, SAI and BAI. Also want to thank Govt of Telangana. Great to see badminton win medals in three successive Games," he said as per BAI.

Sindhu's mother PV Vijaya said the shuttler was disappointed after losing the semi-final, but it was impressive to see how she bounced back in the bronze medal match.

8:18 PM

Sindhu's feat rare, will inspire next generation: Abhinav Bindra

India's only individual gold medallist at the Olympic Games, rifle marksman Abhinav Bindra complimented badminton player PV Sindhu on her achievement of becoming the first woman sportsperson from the country to win two Olympic medals, saying it was a "rare" accomplishment and that the "next generation of athletes are lucky to have a role model like her".

In a letter posted on social media, Bindra, winner of the 10m air rifle gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said: "Many congratulations on winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Very few athletes from our nation have been fortunate enough to achieve what you have achieved. In fact, most sporting careers all over the world end without an Olympic medal, even after years and years spent obsessing over winning the shiny little round object.

"This alone shows just how rare it is to accomplish such a feat, and just how insane one has to be to even dream of it. You are already a Double Olympic Medallist! However, it is days like these and triumphs such as yours that push us all to keep dreaming of the impossible," said Bindra in his letter after Sindhu won the bronze by defeating China's He Bingjao 21-13, 21-15 on Sunday.

8:14 PM

Had to switch off my emotions for this one match: Sindhu

Indian shuttler PV Sindhu said that she had to switch off her emotions to do well in the bronze-medal match against He Bingjiao on Sunday.

Sindhu won 21-13, 21-15 against the left-handed He to clinch the bronze medal, a day after losing in straight games to Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei.

With this, Sindhu has now become the first woman and second Indian after Sushil Kumar to win medals in successive Olympics. It is also India's second medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

"It makes me feel really happy because I've worked hard for so many years. I had a lot of emotions going through me -- should I be happy that I won bronze or sad that I lost the opportunity to play in the final? But overall, I had to close off my emotions for this one match and give it my best, my all.

"I'm really happy and I think I've done really well. It's a proud moment getting a medal for my country," Sindhu was quoted as saying by BWF after the match.

7:51 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium as medal ceremony begins

7:50 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium as medal ceremony begins

7:49 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium as medal ceremony begins

7:47 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium as medal ceremony begins

7:44 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium as medal ceremony begins

P V Sindhu clinched a bronze medal today

7:38 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates: PV Sindhu on the podium shortly

P V Sindhu clinched a bronze medal today and will be seen on the podium duhring the medal ceremony. Stay tuned! 

7:37 PM

Sensational Sindhu tames China's Bing Jiao to secure second successive Olympic medal

 

Reigning world champion P V Sindhu on Sunday became only the second Indian and the country's first woman to win two Olympic medals, securing a bronze after a straight-game win over world no.9 He Bing Jiao of China in the badminton women's singles third-place play-off here.

 

Sindhu, who has returned with medals from each of the big-ticket events such as the Commonwealth and Asian Games and the BWF World Tour Finals in the last five years, outwitted eighth seed Bing Jiao 21-13 21-15 to add a bronze to the silver that she had secured at the 2016 Rio Games.

 

"It makes me feel really happy because I've worked hard for so many years. I had a lot of emotions going through me - should I be happy that I won bronze or sad that I lost the opportunity to play in the final?," the 26-year-old said after the match.

 

"But overall, I had to close off my emotions for this one match and give it my best, my all and think about the emotions. I'm really happy and I think I've done really well. It's a proud moment getting a medal for my country."

7:30 PM

Olympics 2021 live updates, Badminton medal ceremony shortly

China's Chen Yu Fei defeats Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu-Ying to win GOLD medal. Tai Tzu-Ying, who defeated PV Sindhu in semis and entered as favourite in the final, will have to settle with silver. Earlier, India's PV Sindhu clinched Bronze medal. The medal ceremony to follow shortly.