India's Paris Olympics Campaign Ends As Reetika Hooda Fails To Reach Repechage Round

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India's campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024 came to a close as Reetika Hooda's wrestling journey ended without a chance at the repechage round on August 10 -- Saturday.

Reetika, who competed in the 76kg category, faced a challenging quarterfinal bout against Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy, losing the match and needing her opponent to advance to the final for a shot at the bronze medal through the repechage round.

However, Aiperi fell short in her semi-final match against USA's Kennedy Blades, narrowly losing 6-8. This result dashed Reetika's hopes for a repechage opportunity, as Aiperi will now contest the bronze medal match against the winner of the repechage round instead.

India end Paris Olympics with six medal; Vinesh Phogat verdict awaited

Despite this setback, India wrapped up its Olympic campaign with a commendable tally of six medals. The standout performer was javelin thrower and Tokyo 2020 champion Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a silver medal, adding to his illustrious career. The shooting contingent also brought home three bronze medals.

Manu Bhaker was a key contributor, securing two bronze medals in the women's 10m Air Pistol and the mixed team 10m Air Pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh. Swapnil Kusale made history by winning India's first-ever bronze in the 50m air rifle 3 positions event.

The Indian men's hockey team added to the medal haul with a hard-fought bronze medal victory over Spain, defeating them 2-1 in a gripping third-place match. Wrestler Aman Sehrawat provided a strong finish for the Indian contingent by securing a bronze medal in the men's freestyle 57kg category, overcoming Pan-American Champion Dariaz Cruz. Aman's medal was particularly significant as he was the sole male wrestler representing India at the Paris Games.

As the curtains draw on India's Paris Olympics campaign, there remains a possibility that the medal tally could increase to seven. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from her gold medal match due to being overweight by just 100 grams, has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for a joint silver medal, claiming no foul play.

The CAS has delayed its verdict, and the outcome will be announced on August 11 at 9:30 PM IST, keeping the nation on tenterhooks for a potential last-minute addition to its medal count.