It was a reality check of sorts but the dream is not over yet, not in hockey at least. That quite summed up India’s day 11 at the Olympic Games where there were disappointing results all across, the biggest one being the men’s hockey team’s 2-5 loss to world champion Belgium in the semifinals. In athletics, shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who holds the Asian record with a personal best of 21.49m, covered 19.99m in his only legitimate throw in the qualifiers. Similar was the fate of javelin thrower Annu Rani. She achieved a personal best of 63.24m only this year but at the biggest stage, all she could pull off was a poor 54.04m. She too failed to make the final cut. On the wrestling mat as well, debutant Sonam Malik (62kg), 19, crashed out following an opening round loss to Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu, an Asian silver-medallist.
The crushing part, she lost the bout from a position of strength.

India’s Tajinderpal Toor competes in qualifications for the men’s shot put event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Indian goalkeeper Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran tries to clear the ball from the penalty box during men’s field hockey semifinal match against Belgium, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo.
Xie Siyi of China competes in men’s diving 3m springboard semifinal at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.
Karsten Warholm, of Norway, reacts after winning the men’s 400-meter hurdles final at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
India’s Mandeep Singh celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Belgium during men’s field hockey semifinal match, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo.
Athing Mu, of United States celebrates winning the gold medal with Keely Hodgkinson, of Britain, silver, and Raevyn Rogers, of United States, bronze, after the final of the women’s 800-meters at the 2020 Summer Olympics.