Harmeet Desai Faces Defeat, Manu Bhaker Wins Bronze at Paris Olympics
Indian paddler Harmeet Desai conceded defeat against France’s Felix LeBrun in the table tennis men’s singles round of 64 match at the ongoing Paris Olympics. Harmeet Desai went down 11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 against Felix LeBrun. LeBrun dominated the game from the very first set and ended the match in just 28 minutes.
The 31-year-old Indian paddler had progressed to the main draw at Paris 2024 after beating Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan in straight games in the preliminary round on Saturday. But failed to move forward in the table tennis men’s singles event.
Earlier in the day, India bagged its first medal at the Paris Olympics after ace shooter Manu Bhaker sealed a bronze medal in the 10 Metre Women’s Air Pistol event. The 22-year-old became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics. Bhaker brought India’s first medal in the ongoing mega event as she won a bronze medal with a score of 221.7.
It was a redemption arc for Manu after her pistol malfunctioned at the Tokyo Olympics. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach a shooting final in an individual event of the Olympics since Suma Shirur in 2004. South Korea’s Ye Jin clinched the gold medal with an Olympic record of 243.2 points. Her compatriot, Kim Yeji, settled for silver with 241.3 points.
On the opening day, Bhaker finished third in the qualification round of Women’s 10 Metre Air Pistol to qualify for the final at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Saturday. While Rhythm Sangwan failed to make her place in the final after finishing in 15th place.
Doubts Revealed
Harmeet Desai -: Harmeet Desai is an Indian table tennis player. He plays in competitions where players hit a small ball back and forth on a table using paddles.
Manu Bhaker -: Manu Bhaker is an Indian shooter. She competes in events where she uses a gun to hit targets from a distance.
Bronze -: Bronze is a type of medal given to the third-place winner in a competition. It is made of a metal that looks like a mix of gold and silver.
Paris Olympics -: The Paris Olympics is a big sports event held in Paris, France, where athletes from all over the world compete in different sports.
Paddler -: A paddler is someone who plays table tennis. They use a paddle to hit the ball.
Round of 64 -: The round of 64 is a stage in a competition where 64 players compete, and the winners move on to the next round.
10 Metre Women’s Air Pistol -: This is a shooting event where women use a pistol to shoot targets from 10 meters away.
Points -: Points are scores that players get for their performance in a game or event. The higher the points, the better the performance.
South Korea -: South Korea is a country in Asia. It is known for its technology, culture, and sports achievements.