The Rani Rampal-led India women’s hockey team wasted chances galore to lose 1-4 against defending champions Great Britain on Wednesday. This was their third consecutive preliminary stage defeat, a setback to their aim of qualifying for the Olympic quarter finals.
The Indians were guilty of wasting opportunities in their first two games and the trend continued on Wednesday at the Oi Hockey Stadium as Great Britain punished them through strikes from Hannah Martin (second and 19th minute), Lily Owsley (41st minute) and Grace Balsdon (57th minute). For India, Sharmila Devi scored the lone goal in the 23rd minute.
This was Great Britain’s second consecutive win in Pool A. India needed at least a point from this game to be safe. Now they need to win their remaining two matches to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
India will next play Ireland on Friday.
On Wednesday, India had the better share of chances but Great Britain utilised the opportunities that came their way. India could convert just one of the eight penalty corners they earned. Great Britain too didn’t have great success rate from set pieces as they found the net just once from the six they earned. They started aggressively and put the Indian defence under pressure from the word go. The title-holders didn’t let the Indians settle down throughout the match.
Rowers fail
Indian rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh failed to qualify for the men’s lightweight double sculls final after finishing sixth and last in the second semi-final here.
Arjun and Arvind clocked 6:24.41 to finish last in the six-team semi-final 2 at the Sea Forest Waterway. The top three pairs in each of the two semi-finals qualify for the final.
Arjun and Arvind have, however, produced the best-ever Olympic performance by Indian rowers by reaching the semi-finals. They will finish at least at the 12th spot.
Sailors languish
In sailing, the Indian pair of K. Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar languished at 18th after four races in the men’s skiff 49er sailing event. The Indian duo finished 18th, 17th and 19th in the three races on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan had finished way behind the leaders, ending at 22nd and 33rd spot in the respective events after six races.
