Youth Olympics: Why Lakshya Sen's gold, Manu Bhaker's silver won't be added to India's medal count

While Indian players have won four gold and six silver medals, India's medal tally has three golds and four silvers after Friday.

India's medal tally stood at three gold and four silver medals after end of day's competitions at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 on Friday with Lakshya Sen adding another silver medal to India's medal count.

The young badminton players settled for a silver medal after he lost the men's singles summit clash against Li Shifeng of China at the Youth Olympics. 

However, Sen earned himself a gold medal in the mixed team event. Sen was part of the 'Team Alpha' that beat 'Team Omega' 110-106 in the final to take the gold.

However, this gold medal was not added to India's medal tally. 

In fact, Indian players have won 10 medals (four golds and six silvers) at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 while India's medal tally has only 7 medals (three golds and four silvers) so far.

This is because Indian athletes have won three medals in mixed events. Youth Olympic Games 2018 feature some unusual mixed team event. These events not only mix genders but also mixes athletes of different nationalities.

Youth Olympics: Mixed Events

Players from one nation and gender are pair or grouped with players from different nations and gender to compete in several mixed categories. The medals won by these teams are added to the mixed tally in medal table. 

These events are supposed to foster teamwork and friendship across borders as team members must work together to do well regardless of their ability or where they are from.

If one of these teams wins a medal, the Olympic flag is raised in recognition of the athletes at the victory ceremony. The Olympic anthem will be played for any mixed-country team that wins gold.

Youth Olympics: Bhaker, Tababi wins mixed medals

Shooting sensation Manu Bhaker and judoka Tababi Devi have also won medals in mixed events apart from winning medals for India.  

Bhaker, who won the gold medal in the girls' 10m air pistol event, won a silver with Tajikistan's Behzan Fayzullaev in the 10m air pistol mixed international event. Tababi Devi has also won a silver in the mixed team event after winning a silver for India in girls' 44 kg category.

Youth Olympics: India-Pakistan pair up 

The Youth Olympic Games 2018 also saw India's Saurabh Chaudhary pair up with Pakistan's Nubaira Babur in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. This was the first time players from India and Pakistan competed together at a multi-sport event. While Chaudhary/Babur lost in the round of 16 of the mixed international team event, the 40-shooter qualification round was a first in the sporting world for the arch rivals.