Badminton

Indian Badminton Secures Five Olympic Quotas for Paris 2024Indian badminton has achieved a significant milestone with five players securing quotas for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) released the 'Race to Paris' Ranking List, which determines the qualification for the Games.Former world champion PV Sindhu, a silver medalist at the 2016 Olympics and a bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has secured her quota by finishing 12th in the rankings. In the men's singles, HS Prannoy (ranked 9th) and Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen (ranked 13th) have also earned quotas for India.In the doubles competitions, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have secured the third spot in the men's doubles list, while Ashwini Ponappa and Tanisha Crasto have finished 13th in the women's doubles. Chirag and Satwik became the first Indian doubles pair to reach world number one last year, while Ashwini and Crasto have won two Super 100 championship titles and finished as runners-up in a Super 300 tournament.With a total of seven badminton quotas, India could field its joint-biggest badminton contingent in the Olympics, having played with seven shuttlers at the 2016 Rio Olympics. This achievement is a testament to the growing strength of Indian badminton and the players' determination to excel on the world stage.

Manika Batra and G Sathiyan's Olympic mixed doubles aspirations have been dashed after their disappointing performance at the World Mixed Doubles Olympic Qualification tournament in Havirov. The Indian duo, who had set their sights on the 2024 Paris Games, crashed out in the quarter-finals of their knockouts group, failing to secure one of the four Paris quotas available.Their exit marks a significant setback for India's hopes of winning a table tennis medal at the Olympics. Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal had previously identified mixed doubles as India's most realistic chance of a podium finish, given the 16-team format.The pair's recent form has been a cause for concern. After a promising start following the Tokyo Olympics, they have struggled to maintain their momentum. In the four major WTT events they competed in this year, they failed to progress beyond the first round.Injuries and dips in form have also played a role in their decline. Manika dealt with an ankle issue last year, while Sathiyan has been battling a back injury. The lack of training time as a pair has also been a factor, as they are based in different cities.Despite their efforts to blend their schedules, they have been unable to translate their individual success into a strong mixed doubles partnership. Sathiyan and Manika are still likely to compete in other events at the Paris Olympics, but their mixed doubles dream has come to an end.