CWG 2022, Commonwealth Games Day 4 highlight from Birmingham:
India extended its medal tally to 9 on Day 4. While 3 Indian teams will fight for more CWG medals tomorrow, 3 weightlifters will also be in the fray for the podium finish.
While Judoka Shushila won India's first medal of the day, Vijay Kumar Yadav and Harjinder also managed a podium finish.
Indian Badminton mixed team and the Table Tennis men's team stormed into the finals with thumping 3-0 wins over their Singapore and Nigeria opponents respectively. Both Indian teams are now assured of a medal finish.
While the men's team in the Table Tennis final will face Singapore tomorrow, the Badminton mixed team will face Malaysia for a gold medal finish tomorrow.
Earlier, in weightlifting Harjinder Kaur made it 7 medals for India in the discipline, she won the bronze medal in the women's 71-kg final. And how! At one point, it looked like she will miss out on a podium finish but somehow luck played its part and she got her medal.
In Badminton, the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty win their contest, gave India a 1-0 lead in the mixed team semis. They defeated the Terry Hee-Jun Kwek duo 21-11, 21-12. PV Sindhu made it 2-0 with an easy straight game victory over Yeo Jia Min. Lakshya Sen too won 21-18, 21-15 to assure India of a medal.
India's Shushila Devi has won silver in the Women's 48 kg category in Judo. Vijay Kumar Yadav has bagged the bronze medal.
Before this, India's Joshna Chinappa is out in the quarter-finals. She couldn't convert 4 game points and eventually lost the game 13-15. The World No. 17 went down 9-11, 5-11 & 13-15 to Hollie Naughton from Canada. Sourav Ghosal though entered the semi-finals after winning his last eight clash 3-1.
Amit Panghal, Mohd Hussamuddin, and Ashish Kumar are also through to the quarter-finals in their respective categories.
Earlier in the day, the Women's Fours team in Lawn Bowls reached the final after beating New Zealand 16-13.
After finally dominating in the neck-to-neck clash against Omatoyo, Sathiyan sealed a 3-0 WIN for India against Nigeria in the men's team semifinals.
India are sure of a medal finish now. They will next face Singapore in the finals tomorrow.
Close! But not close enough, still a valiant effort from the Indian swimmer as he finishes 5th in the Men's 50m Backstroke final
Indian pugilist AshishKumar has reached the quarter-finals in the Light Heavyweight category, He overcomes Niue's Travis Tapatuetoa with ease.
India's veteran paddler has beaten the World No. 15. He wins the contest 3-1 to give India a 2-0 lead in the semis. The scoreline might suggest Sharath Kamal dominated, but boy was it close! Tough luck for the Nigerian but the defending champions have one foot in the final now.
Up next - Sathiyan Gnansekaran Vs Olajide Omotayo - If India win, they are through
It's a see-saw. One takes the lead, the other levels it up! 12-12 for now.
Nigeria's Aruna has the game point at 13-12.
And at this crucial juncture, they have taken a timeout.
13-13 now, and it's match point for Sharath Kamal.
It's turning out to be a close contest in the singles match between Sharath Kamal & Quadri Aruna.
Sharath had a stutter in the second game, but took the lead by winning the third.
Score's 10-9 in favour of the Nigerian right now.
It's 10-10 now. So very close this match. Nail-biting stuff!
11-10 for Sharath Kamal. It's match point!
But it's 11-11 again. What a game we are having.
What a finish we have had!
England's Sara Davies successfully lifts 126 kg in her 2nd attempt and that means she takes the gold and India's Harjinder Kaur will take home the bronze. Another medal for India!
Nigeria's Joy Ogbonne Eze, who looked a certainty for a medal finish, fails with all three attempts and that means Harjinder will at least take home the bronze.
Ashworth makes a massive lift, and successfully goes for 123 kg to finish with a total of 214 kg. She leaves India's Harjinder behind!
Yet another successful attempt for Harjinder, she is currently good for the Bronze medal with a total of 212 kg.
Alexis Ashworth stands in her way. Let's see how this goes. Ashworth is here for her final attempt
Harjinder once again takes the lead from Canada's Alexis Ashworth. The Indian successfully lifts 116 kg in the Clean & Jerk. Currently in the lead. Alexis Ashworth still has one lift left, while two weightlifters are yet to start the event.
Harjinder in her first attempt in the Clean & Jerk lifts 113 kg successfully. She looks good for a bronze medal right now. She is competing with Canada's Alexis Ashworth for that 3rd spot.
Achanta Sharath Kamal, who was trailing 7-9 in the first game, kept his cool to win the next 4 points and win the opening game.
India's Harmeet Desai & Sathiyan Gnansekaran give India a 1-0 lead, winning their doubles match in straight games 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 against Nigeria's Bode Abiodun & Olajide Omotayo in the Men's Team semifinal.
Next up is Sharath Kamal's singles game against Quadri Aruna.
3 matches, 3 victories in straight games. Lakshya Sen wins his second game 21-15 and India are in the final of the mixed team event.
Well, one wouldn't want to jinx it, but I will be surprised if they don't lift the crown tomorrow.
Complete dominance against Singapore in the semis! They will face Malaysia for the Gold medal.
Nigeria's Joy Ogbonne Eze has successfully lifted 100 kgs so far, while England's Sara Davies has made a new Games record by lifting 103 kg in her third and final attempt. Harjinder 1 kg behind Australia's Kiana Rose.
India's Suchika Taryal is currently in action against Mauritius' Christianne Legentil. Let's see if India can end their day in Judo with their 3rd medal.
Uh ho! There's disappointment for Tariyal as she loses by a solitary point, a point she lost in the last few seconds. So, India finish their day in Judo with a silver and a bronze. Lost 2 consecutive 2 bronze medal matches there.
Harjiner lifts her personal best in Snatch. She lifts 93 kg in her 3rd and final attempt. This is also going to be a close contest. But remember, still 2 weightlifters haven't even started yet. Australia's Kiana Rose though has gone ahead after a successful lift of 94 kg
After a little struggle at the beginning of the game, Lakshya Sen has finally found his rhythm. There was a stutter from Lakshya at 18-10, but the Indian shuttler goes on to take the game. Loh Kean Yew did make like difficult for Lakshya but he wins the opening game 21-18.
Harjinder Kaur, having missed the 90 kilo mark in her first attempt, is successful with her 2nd attempt. However, three weightlifters yet to make their first attempt.
Having trailed for most of the game, Lakshya Sen goes into the mid-game break with an 11-10 lead against Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.
Let's see if we can win another medal in weightlifting. Harjinder Kaur has put her first attempt in Snatch at 90 kg for now. The number could very well change since she could go much higher with her first attempt, depending on the other weightlifters in her category.
Heartbreak for Judoka Jasleen Singh Saini as he's beaten by Australia's Nathan Katz in the dying moments of his Bronze medal contest - he loses by Ippon
PV Sindhu's court coverage is simply supreme and she's taken the second game with ease as well.
Finishes the match off 21-11, 21-12
India 2-0 up, one win away from an assured medal in the mixed-team event.
Looks like Sindhu is going to run away from the match. Leading 11-6 during the mid-game break.
The ace Indian shuttler is running away with the match, easily wins the first game 21-11.
Yeo Jia Min is definitely helping Sindhu's cause with the unforced errors.
The doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty win their contest, give India 1-0 lead in the mixed team semis. They defeated the Terry Hee-Jun Kwek duo 21-11, 21-12.
Up next, PV Sindhu!
Vijay Kumar Yadav wins another bronze medal for India in the 60kg category in Judo.
-8th medal for India
-2nd medal in another discipline
-6 medals in Weightlifting
India set to face Singapore in the Mixed Team Event semifinals.
England restrict India to a 4-4 draw in their 2nd Pool B match.
Nicholas Bandurak, Philip Rope and Liam Ansell scored for England & for India, Harmanpreet, Manpreet and Lalit Kumar scored.
An exciting 4th quarter.
England make a strong comeback, making it a 4-4 against India.
A brace from Nicholas Bandurak and 1 from Philip Roper in the 4th quarter help England level the game against India.
Judoka Shushila wins India's 3rd silver medal.
-7th medal for India
-1st medal in another discipline
-6 medals in Weightlifting
Whitebooi Michaela of South Africa defeated her to lift the gold.
Haramanpreet though gave India a string start in the 4th quarter with their 4th goal but England inched closer with a goal from Phillip Roper soon after.
Shushila Devi set to fight for a gold medal finish.
She will face Whitebooi Michaela of South Africa.
End of Q3
Liam Ansell opens the account for England. India still lead with a 3-1 lead.
End of Q2
Akashdeep Singh & Mandeep Singh together provide India a 3-0 lead against England in their Pool B match.
Earlier in first quarter, Goals from Lalit Singh Upadhyay and Mandeep Singh help India take a 2-0 against England in the men's hockey Pool B match.
Sourav Ghoshal wins men's singles Quarterfinals against Scotland's Greg Lobban 1-3 to advance to the semis.
A fantastic counter-attack from India and they have taken a 2-0 lead. A fantastic reverse stick from Mandeep gets the goal at the end. Superb from India!
Sourav Ghosal is not too happy with the referee calls but he has still managed to win the third game 11-7. One game away from the semis.