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Xia Lian Ni, the 61-year-old table tennis legend from Luxembourg, continues to defy age at the Paris 2024 Olympics. As the oldest competitor in her event, she has already made history by becoming the oldest player to record a win at the Games.Xia Lian's journey to the Olympics has been remarkable. Born in Shanghai, China, she represented her country and won gold medals in various mixed and individual events. However, she retired early and moved to Europe, where she resumed her table tennis career.In 2000, at the age of 37, Xia Lian made her Olympic debut. Since then, she has qualified for every subsequent Games. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she became the oldest Olympian to play table tennis.Xia Lian's longevity and success are attributed to her unwavering determination and rigorous training regimen. She trains for several hours each day, focusing on both physical and mental aspects of the game. Her husband, Tommy Danielsson, a former Swedish table tennis player, serves as her coach and training partner.Despite her age, Xia Lian remains competitive against opponents who are half her age. Her experience and tactical acumen allow her to overcome physical limitations. She is known for her exceptional footwork, quick reflexes, and ability to anticipate her opponents' moves.Xia Lian's participation in the Paris Olympics is not only a testament to her athleticism but also an inspiration to athletes of all ages. She proves that age is just a number and that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.On Wednesday, July 31, Xia Lian will face No. 1 seeded Sun Yingsha of China in the round of 32. While she acknowledges the challenge, she remains optimistic and determined to give her best performance.

Manu Bhaker's Olympic triumph has brought joy to India, but her coach, Jaspal Rana, faces a different reality. Despite his role in Manu's success, Rana has been struggling financially for the past three years, without a regular salary from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) or any other sporting body.Rana's plight stems from a fallout with Manu after her disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where a pistol malfunction hindered her medal chances. However, the duo reconciled and worked together to achieve Manu's bronze medal in Paris.Rana's emotional outburst during an interview with RevSportz revealed the abuse he endured after Manu's Tokyo exit. He questioned the hypocrisy of those who now seek interviews with him after vilifying him.Despite his delight in Manu's Olympic success, Rana emphasized his financial struggles. He expressed his gratitude to PT Usha and Captain Ajay Narang for facilitating his accreditation for the Paris Games, but acknowledged the challenges he faced even with that.Rana's coaching approach with Manu involves subtle tweaks rather than imposing his views. He believes in empowering shooters with their own knowledge and skills.Rana's financial situation has taken a toll on him. He expressed his desire to find a job upon his return to India, highlighting the difficulties he has faced in the past three years.Rana's story serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by coaches and support staff in the sporting world. While athletes receive the limelight, those who guide them often struggle to make ends meet.

Abhinav Bindra Initiates Unique Tradition at Paris 2024 OlympicsIn a historic moment at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Indian shooting legend Abhinav Bindra became the first Indian to perform the "Red Baton" ritual, a new tradition that signals the commencement of events.The Red Baton, also known as the "brigadier," is a red baton that is tapped three times on the floor before the start of an event. The ritual originated in French theater in the 17th century, where it was used to signal the audience that the performance was about to begin and to maintain silence.In the context of the Olympics, the Red Baton ritual has been adopted as an honorary tradition. It is believed that the three taps represent the essential elements of performing arts: the actors, the spectators, and the story. Another theory suggests that the Holy Trinity is represented in the ritual, while a third belief states that the actor's key positions on stage are celebrated.Bindra was invited to perform the ritual at the Women's 10m Air Rifle final on July 29. As India's first-ever individual Olympic gold medalist, Bindra's presence added a special significance to the occasion.The ritual, however, did not bring luck to Indian shooter Ramita, who was eliminated in seventh place. Nonetheless, the Red Baton tradition has become a unique and memorable aspect of the Paris 2024 Olympics, adding a touch of history and symbolism to the proceedings.

Indian Athletes' Heartbreaking Fourth-Place Finishes at the OlympicsThe Olympic Games, a pinnacle of athletic achievement, have witnessed countless triumphs and heartbreaks. For Indian athletes, the agony of finishing just outside the medal positions has been a recurring theme. Here's a comprehensive list of Indian athletes who came tantalizingly close to the podium but ultimately fell short:Dinkarrav Shinde (Antwerp 1920): Wrestler Dinkarrav Shinde could have become India's first Olympic medalist, but he suffered a heartbreaking loss in the men's featherweight bronze playoff.Keshav Mangave (Helsinki 1952): India's first individual Olympic medalist, KD Jadhav, was joined by wrestler Keshav Mangave, who narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the featherweight category.Indian Football Team (Melbourne 1956): After defeating hosts Australia in the semi-finals, the Indian football team lost to Yugoslavia and Bulgaria in the third-place match.Milkha Singh (Rome 1960): Perhaps the most famous fourth-place finish in Indian sports, Milkha Singh missed the bronze medal in the men's 400m by a mere 0.13 seconds, setting a National Record that stood for 44 years.Sudesh Kumar & Prem Nath (Munich 1972): India could have won three medals in hockey instead of one bronze, but wrestlers Sudesh Kumar and Prem Nath finished fourth in their respective freestyle categories.PT Usha (Los Angeles 1984): India's second major athletics heartbreak after Milkha Singh, PT Usha missed the bronze medal in the women's 400m hurdles by one hundredth of a second.Rajinder Singh (Los Angeles 1984): Another missed medal in Los Angeles, wrestler Rajinder Singh lost the bronze medal playoff in the men's freestyle 74kg category.Leander Paes/Mahesh Bhupathi (Athens 2004): After winning a men's singles bronze in Atlanta 1996, Leander Paes could have become India's first individual double Olympic medalist, but he and Bhupathi lost a close third-place contest in men's doubles tennis.Kunjarani Devi (Athens 2004): Weightlifter Kunjarani Devi finished fourth in the women's 48kg category, but she needed to lift an additional 10kg to reach the podium.Joydeep Karmakar (London 2012): With two shooting medals already won, Joydeep Karmakar was on the verge of another in the men's 50m rifle prone final, but he ultimately finished fourth.Abhinav Bindra (Rio de Janeiro 2016): Having won the men's 10m air rifle gold eight years earlier, Bindra finished fourth in the same category in Rio 2016.Sania Mirza/Rohan Bopanna (Rio de Janeiro 2016): Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna were favorites for a mixed doubles tennis medal, but they lost in the third-place match.Dipa Karmakar (Rio de Janeiro 2016): In a remarkable feat, Dipa Karmakar finished fourth in the women's vault final, becoming the first Indian gymnast to reach an Olympic final.Aditi Ashok (Tokyo 2021): Golfer Aditi Ashok surprised audiences by finishing the first three rounds in second position, but she dropped to fourth on the final day, missing the medal by just a stroke.Indian Hockey Team (Tokyo 2021): The Indian women's hockey team stunned Australia in the quarter-finals but lost a close semi-final against Argentina and the bronze playoff against Great Britain.Arjun Babuta (Paris 2024): Arjun Babuta was in contention for a medal in the men's 10m air rifle final, but a couple of poor shots saw him drop to fourth place at the last minute.These fourth-place finishes serve as a testament to the talent and determination of Indian athletes. While they may not have reached the podium, their performances have inspired countless others and left an indelible mark on Indian sports history.

Australian BMX racer Saya Sakakibara and her French boyfriend Romain Mahieu are both serious contenders for gold medals at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. Sakakibara, 24, has dominated the global rankings in her sport over the past year, while Mahieu, 29, has finally found his top form after a decade of international competition.Both riders have overcome significant challenges in their careers. Sakakibara has battled injuries, including a concussion at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and a crash in 2022 that left her with a bruised lung and another concussion. Mahieu, on the other hand, has had to compete against a field of strong French riders who dominate BMX racing globally.Despite these challenges, both riders are now at the peak of their powers. Sakakibara is the No. 1 ranked female BMX Racing rider in the world, while Mahieu is the reigning world champion and the overall World Cup series title holder.The couple's relationship has been a source of strength for both of them. They train together, race together, and share the same goal of winning Olympic gold. "We are both at a really high level together and we have been sharing wins at world cup rounds over the past two years, so hopefully we can make that a medal," Sakakibara said.Sakakibara was born in Japan but now represents Australia. She took up BMX at age four, following in the footsteps of her older brother Kai. Mahieu was born in France and has been riding BMX since he was four years old.The couple has been together since at least 2019, when they both won a race on the Tokyo Olympic circuit and made their relationship public. Since end 2022, Mahieu spends winters in Australia and Sakakibara spends much of her time in Sarrians, southern France.An Olympic medal for both Sakakibara and Mahieu would be a dream come true. They are both in the form of their lives and have a real chance of making history in Paris.

Vivianne Robinson, a 66-year-old Santa Monica native, has been bitten by the Olympics bug since the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Four decades later, she is experiencing her seventh Games in Paris, soaking up the sporting extravaganza.Robinson's passion for the Olympics is evident in her meticulous planning and financial sacrifices. She worked two jobs for eight years, selling rice grain necklaces by day and bagging groceries by night, to save up $10,000 for her Olympic adventure.In Paris, Robinson has tickets to over three dozen sporting events and the opening ceremony, for which she paid a premium of $1,600. While the opening ceremony was a disappointment due to heavy rain and limited visibility, Robinson remains undeterred.Robinson's enthusiasm extends beyond the stadiums. She can be found on the Champs Elysees, decked out in an Olympics-themed tracksuit, greeting volunteers and tourists. Her viral TikTok videos have made her recognizable, and she relishes the opportunity to connect with people from around the world."You actually meet more people when you're dressed like this," Robinson told Reuters. "I get to meet the world this way."Robinson's Olympic journey has taken her to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, London, and Rio de Janeiro. She is determined to make the most of her Paris experience, despite the hefty credit card bill that awaits her upon her return."You just can't be in a better place in the world, just to be surrounded by athletes and tourists and monuments and just the fun of the Games," she said.

Simone Biles, the American gymnastics icon, has defied a calf injury to compete in all four events during Tuesday night's Olympic team finals. Despite tweaking her left calf during warm-ups on Sunday, Biles returned to post top scores on floor and vault, securing her position as the all-around leader.Initially, team leaders considered resting Biles on uneven bars to minimize strain during the Games. However, she will now participate in every event, with three gymnasts competing and all scores counting. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is expected to attend the finals.The American team is heavily favored to win gold after finishing second to Russia in Tokyo three years ago. Biles will anchor the team on three events – vault, floor exercise, and balance beam – and will compete second on uneven bars.Jordan Chiles, who placed fourth in the all-around during qualifying, will also compete in all four events. She will lead off on vault, bars, and balance beam, and follow Lee on floor exercise. Lee, the 2020 Olympic champion, will compete third on uneven bars, second on beam, and first on floor exercise.The only unexpected change to the lineup is on floor, where 2020 Olympic floor exercise champion Jade Carey will sit out. Carey, who will vault, struggled on floor during qualifying and has been dealing with an illness.Hezly Rivera, the youngest member of the five-woman team at 16, is not scheduled to compete. Rivera participated on bars and beam during qualifying, but her scores were not included in the team total.

Ukrainian diver Oleksii Sereda's journey to the Tokyo Olympics was marked by the horrors of war. Amidst air alerts and shell bombings, he and his teammate Kiril Boliukh trained relentlessly in Kyiv, their determination fueled by a desire to represent their war-torn nation."We had a lot of troubles, problems," Sereda recounted. "With like light, for example. We don't have light in Ukraine, sometimes they turn that off."The constant threat of danger weighed heavily on their minds. "Shells are flying about our houses. Every single day we had like air alerts, we had to go downstairs, hide, then go for the training and always like that, always tired," he said.Despite the adversity, Sereda and Boliukh finished fifth in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform event. However, for Sereda, the focus extended beyond the sport."We're trying to message to all people, to show everyone that there is a war ... to get more help from abroad because we need weapons, we need military things. We are not fighting. We are just trying to defend our country," he emphasized.Sereda's father, a soldier in Mykolaiv, remained on the front lines, unable to leave the country like other men. The thoughts of his family and country weighed heavily on his performance."I did (a) mistake on the fifth dive - because of my mistake we lost third place. So I'm kind of sad," he admitted. "I was nervous when I was diving there ... We have war in our country. I was thinking about my father. I was thinking about what's going on in Ukraine ... for me it's a bad result."Despite the disappointment, Sereda remains determined to showcase his abilities in the individual 10-meter event. "I just want to show a great result, show what I can do," he said. "I want a medal of course but ... it's sports, unpredictable."Sereda's story is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people. Amidst the horrors of war, they continue to strive for excellence, using their platform to raise awareness and seek support for their embattled nation.

British swimming sensation Adam Peaty's Olympic dream has been dealt a cruel blow after he tested positive for COVID-19, just a day after narrowly missing out on the 100-meter breaststroke gold medal in Paris.Peaty, who had been the overwhelming favorite to defend his title, shared the silver with American Nic Fink after both finished 0.02 seconds behind Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi. The Briton had hinted at feeling unwell on the day of the race, but refused to use it as an excuse.However, his symptoms worsened in the hours following the final, prompting him to undergo a COVID test on Monday morning. The result came back positive, confirming his fears."He is hopeful to be back in competition for the relay events later in the swimming programme," Team GB said in a statement. "As in any case of illness, the situation is being managed appropriately, with all usual precautions being taken to keep the wider delegation healthy."Peaty's positive test is a major setback for Team GB, who had been counting on him to deliver a gold medal in the pool. The 27-year-old is one of the most decorated swimmers in British history, having won two Olympic golds, three world championships, and multiple European titles.The relay events, which Peaty is hoping to compete in, are scheduled to take place later this week. However, his participation will depend on his recovery from COVID-19.Peaty's positive test serves as a reminder that even the most elite athletes are not immune to the virus. It also highlights the importance of following health protocols and taking precautions to prevent its spread.