Neeraj Chauhan Clinches Bronze in Men's Individual Recurve at Okazaki
Neeraj Chauhan Secures Bronze Medal
File image of Indian archer Neeraj Chauhan(Photo: @RAVINDRASINGHWT/X)
Okazaki, Oct 3: Indian archer Neeraj Chauhan triumphed over fellow countryman Dhiraj Bommadevara in a thrilling bronze medal match, securing third place in the men's individual recurve event at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Saturday.
The match was a close contest, with Neeraj edging out Dhiraj 6-4 in a five-set showdown. Both competitors entered the match following defeats in their respective semifinals; Neeraj lost to Japan's Junya Nakanishi with a score of 1-7, while Dhiraj was defeated by South Korea's Lee Woo-Seok.
In the bronze playoff, Neeraj started strong, winning the first set 29-26, but faced setbacks in the second and third sets, losing 27-28 and 28-29 respectively. Dhiraj led 4-2 and was just one set away from victory, but Neeraj delivered an outstanding performance in the fourth set, scoring three 10s to tie the match at 4-4.
In the final set, Dhiraj began with an 8, while Neeraj scored a 10. Dhiraj managed to hit two 10s, totaling 28, but Neeraj needed 19 points to secure the bronze. He achieved this by scoring a 9 and a 10 with his last two arrows.
Both archers had previously earned medals in mixed and team events. Dhiraj won a silver medal alongside Kumkum Mohod in the mixed event final, where they were defeated by China for the gold. Additionally, Dhiraj, Neeraj, and Yashdeep Bhoge claimed a team silver after losing to South Korea in the final.
The Indian women's archery team has also shone brightly at the ongoing Games. Kumkum Mohod made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold, defeating South Korea's Oh Yejin. She also secured a team gold alongside Kirti Sharma and Ankita Bhakat, overcoming the ten-time champions from Korea in the final.