Paris Olympics 2024 Day 6: Shooter Swapnil eyes medal, Lakshay vs Prannoy in badminton; full schedule here

India's pursuit of Olympic glory encountered a mix of challenges and hopes on Wednesday as the nation's athletes competed at the Paris Olympics 2024. The day was marked by a series of near misses and crucial match-ups, setting the stage for an action-packed Thursday.

Ace paddler Manika Batra's journey at the Paris Games came to an end in the pre-quarterfinals of the women's singles event. Despite a spirited effort, Batra was defeated by Japan's higher-ranked Miu Hirano, with scores of 6-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11. On the same day, Sreeja Akula, celebrating her birthday, faced world number one Sun Yingsha. Akula put up a valiant fight but ultimately succumbed to the Chinese star, marking another setback for India's table tennis squad.

Thursday promises a fresh start for the Indian contingent, with boxing, hockey, and badminton stars set to take the stage. In badminton, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, alongside Lakshya Sen and veteran HS Prannoy, advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the women's and men's singles events. Notably, Prannoy is set to clash with compatriot Sen in an exciting all-Indian encounter.

In men's doubles badminton, world number 5 duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are scheduled to face Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the quarter-finals. Following this, Sindhu will compete in her round of 16 match in the women's singles tournament, adding to the excitement of the day.

Golfers Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma will begin India's day by competing in the men's individual finals. In shooting, Swapnil Kusale is poised to lead India's charge in the men's 50m rifle three-position event, aiming for a podium finish.

In hockey, the Indian men's team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, has reached the quarter-finals and will face reigning champions Belgium in a crucial Pool B match. The Red Lions currently top the pool with three victories, while India sits second with two wins and a draw.

Boxer Nikhat Zareen is set for a pivotal match in the women's flyweight pre-quarterfinals. Zareen, facing a challenging draw, will go head-to-head with world champion Wu Yu of China. The bout promises to be a highlight of the day, with Zareen representing a strong medal hope for India.

Here's a look at India's full Day 6 schedule with timings:

Race walk

Men's 20km race walk: Paramjeet Singh Bisht, Akashdeep Singh and Vikash Singh (medal event) – 11 AM

Women's 20 km race walk: Priyanka is the only Indian in the list (medal event) — 12:50 PM

Golf

Men's Individual Finals: Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma -- 12.30 pm

Shooting

Men's 50m Rifle Three Positions (Medal round): Swapnil Kusale -- 1.00 pm

Women's 50m Rifle Three Positions (Qualification): Sift Kaur Samra and Anjum Moudgil -- 3.30 pm

Hockey

India vs Belgium (Group stage): 1.30 pm

Boxing

Women's Flyweight (Pre-quarterfinal): Nikhat Zareen vs Yu Wu (China) -- 2.30 pm

Archery

Men's Individual (1/32 eliminations): Pravin Jadhav vs Kao Wenchao (China) - 2.31 pm

Men's Individual (1/16 Eliminations): 3.10 pm onwards

Badminton

Men’s Singles Round of 16: Lakshya Sen vs HS Prannoy (After 5:40 PM)

Men’s Doubles Quarterfinals: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty vs Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia) - 4:30 pm

Women’s Singles Round of 16: PV Sindhu - after 10 pm

Sailing

Men's Dinghy Race 1: Vishnu Saravanan -- 3.45 pm

Men's Dinghy Race 2 : Vishnu Saravanan -- After Race 1

Women's Dinghy Race 1: Nethra Kumanan -- 7.05 pm

Women's Dinghy Race 2: Nethra Kumanan -- After Race 1