Gwangju (South Korea), Sept 9: The women’s recurve team of Deepika Kumari, teenager Gatha Khadake and Ankita Bhakat entered the bronze medal playoffs at the World Archery Championships here on Tuesday but the men made a shocking first-round exit and the compound archers failed to add more to their tally of two medals.
The third-seeded Indian trio secured back to back wins before losing to Japan 2-6 in the semifinals. India will now face South Korea for the bronze, aiming for their first women’s team medal at the World Championships since 2015.
So far, India have won two medals, both in the compound section — a first ever men’s team gold and a mixed team silver for Rishabh Yadav and Jyothi Surekha Vennam.
Four-time Olympian and former world No.1 Deepika led the women’s charge in the recurve competition, finishing sixth in qualification with 677 points.
Gatha, seeded 14th with 666, and Ankita, seeded 30th with 656, ensured India took third place in the team qualification to earn a direct entry into the second round.
The trio began strongly, ousting 10th seeds Slovenia 5-1, shooting 50, 55 and 55 against their rivals’ 48, 55 and 53.
In the quarters, they overcame an early setback against Turkey, losing the opening set 51-55 after a wayward seven. But they stormed back with 55 and a superb 57 to turn the match around before sealing it 6-2 with another 55.
Their fine run ended in the semifinals against Japan, who prevailed 6-2.
After a 56-all opener, Japan raised their game with a near-flawless 58 in the second set to lead 3-1.
The third set was tied again at 56-all, leaving India with all to play for.
But in the fourth, the Japanese slipped to 54, only for the Indians to falter with a seven and an eight, totalling a poor 51.
That handed Japan the set, the match, and a place in the final against Chinese Taipei, who shocked hosts South Korea in a shoot-off.
In contrast, the men’s recurve team endured a disappointing outing.
Seeded ninth, the trio of Neeraj Chauhan (670, 36th seed), Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara (669, 39th) and Rahul (657, 62nd) slumped to a shock first-round defeat to 24th seeds Denmark.
The match went into a shoot-off, where India managed only 26 against Denmark’s 28 to bow out 4-5.
India’s challenge in the compound section also ended after veteran Jyothi, Parneet Kaur and Prithika Pradeep could not bag an individual medal.
The 20-year-old Parneet, the most impressive among the lot, finished fourth after losing the bronze playoff 144-145 to Colombia’s Alejandra Usquiano.
Parneet had a sluggish start, unable to shoot a perfect 30 until the fourth end.
Usquiano’s consistency saw her through. Earlier, Parneet defeated her senior teammate Jyothi 149-147 in the quarterfinals, but lost a tight semifinal 142-143 to Sofia Paiz.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jyothi, a seven-time participant in the elite event, willb e returning empty-handed for the first time since 2017.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Prithika Pradeep exited in the pre-quarters, losing 145-148 to Estonia’s Lisell Jaatma.
India, who were defending the women’s individual title won by Aditi Swami in Berlin 2023, thus failed to repeat the feat.
Aditi did not qualify from national trials this year.
Apart from the women’s recurve team bronze playoff, India will also pin hopes on the individual events and the recurve mixed team competition, where Deepika Kumari, seeded seventh, will partner Neeraj Chauhan.
Making a comeback to the world championship after Den Bosch 2019, Deepika will also be eyeing her maiden individual medal at this event. (PTI)
