India's Archery Team Faces Ups and Downs at World Cup Stage 2

Mixed Results for India at Archery World Cup Stage 2

India experienced a day of highs and lows at the Archery World Cup Stage 2. The women's recurve team secured the nation's first medal by achieving a remarkable semifinal victory over South Korea, the reigning 10-time Olympic champions. However, the men's team faced disappointment, suffering an unexpected defeat to Bangladesh on Thursday.

The mixed team event also saw India's exit, as the pair of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat were eliminated by Brazil in the second round.

The women's team, featuring experienced archers Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and young talent Kumkum Mohod, triumphed over a revamped Korean squad with a score of 5-1 in the semifinals, setting up a gold medal match against the second-seeded team from China on Sunday.

In stark contrast, the men's recurve team, consisting of veterans Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara, and Yashdeep Bhoge, struggled significantly, failing to win any sets in a disappointing 2-6 loss to Bangladesh.

The women's team showcased remarkable composure throughout a challenging day, winning three consecutive matches.

Starting strong in the semifinals, the fourth-seeded Indian team shot four perfect 10s from six arrows, scoring an impressive 58 and allowing the Koreans only 55 points.

Despite a slight dip in the second set with an 8, India managed to tie at 56-56, leading 3-1 overall.

With just two points needed to clinch the match, the Indians shot another 58 in the third set, while the Koreans faltered under pressure, scoring only 56, resulting in a memorable straight-set victory for India.

It's worth noting that the Korean team fielded a less experienced lineup as part of their preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, scheduled for less than four months from now.

The Korean squad included debutants Lee Yunji and Oh Yejin, with reigning world champion Kang Chaeyoung being the only seasoned archer.

Notably absent were Olympic champions An San and Lim Sihyeon, along with last year's Shanghai gold medalist Lee Gahyun.

Earlier in the competition, the Indian women's trio demonstrated resilience, bouncing back from a slow start to defeat Uzbekistan 6-2 (53-56, 57-54, 55-54, 55-51) in the opening round.

Their most challenging match came in the quarterfinals, where they narrowly edged past Vietnam 5-4 (28-25) in a tense shoot-off.

India initially struggled, scoring only 53 in the first set after three 8s, allowing Vietnam to take a one-point lead.

However, the Indian team rebounded strongly, leveling the score at 2-2 as Vietnam faltered to 49 after two 8s and a 6.

The Indians then took a 4-2 lead by dropping just two points in the third set, but lost the fourth set by a single point (55-56), forcing a shoot-off.

Under pressure, the Indian archers excelled, scoring just two points from three arrows to win the shoot-off 28-25.

Men's Team Struggles

In contrast, the men's team had a forgettable outing against Bangladesh.

The Indian trio, which qualified as the eighth seed, struggled with consistency and failed to win any sets across four rounds.

In the opening set, India managed only 52 points, shooting three 8s, while Bangladesh scored 55 to take a 2-0 lead.

India continued to lack composure in the second set, scoring 54, which allowed Bangladesh to tie the set at 54-54 and extend their lead to 3-1.

The third set was equally disappointing, with both teams scoring 53.

Bangladesh finally found their rhythm in the fourth set, as Abdur Rahman Alif, Ram Krishna Saha, and Mohammed Mishad Prodhan dropped only three points, comfortably defeating the Indians 57-53.

In the mixed team event, Bommadevara and Ankita faced Brazil, losing 4-5 (19-19) in a shoot-off determined by the arrow closest to the center.