Archery: India
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
History
Three arrows shooting
KRISHNAGIRI: Baahubali in the epic movie stunned heroine Devasena and moviegoers alike by shooting three arrows at once. Is it possible to shoot three arrows at once? Is it something which film director SS Rajamouli invented for the film?
Shooting three arrows together seems to be a centuries old technique of war and a sign of bravery, as suggested by a few hero stones that archeologists have discovered near Thally in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.
The Krishnagiri District History Search Organization (KDHSO) discovered three hero stones at Jihoor, a village near Thally close to Karnataka border in Krishnagiri district.
KDHSO president Aram A Krishnan told TOI that two hero stones depicted fighters holding three arrows each in their right hands and a bow each in their left hands.
One hero stone depicted a fighter holding three arrows and a bow while the other has two fighters fighting with each other. One of the fighters engraved on the second stone is holding three arrows and a bow while the other fighter is holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in the left hand.
The third hero stone depicts a sword-wielding fighter.
"The fighter who holds the sword might have belonged to Kangars who were very well-known for bravery," Krishnan said.
The village is situated close to Karnataka border and the kings who ruled these regions deployed thousands of fighters to protect their area from enemies. "Similarly, these two fighters might have been killed in a fight," Krishnan said.
The hero stones belonged to 13th or 14th centuries, according to archeologists.
"We were astonished when Baahubali in the movie used three arrows together. But these kinds of technique were in use in 13th or 14th centuries," Krishnan added.
Asian Championships
2021
A
Mixed day for archers, win one bronze, lose another:
India’s men’s compound team won a bronze medal but the women team lost its play-off as the country had a mixed day at the 22nd Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka. The men’s team of Rishabh Yadav, Abhishek Verma and Aman Saini outplayed challengers Bangladesh 235-223, while the women’s team was let down byits inexperience. It went down 208-220 to Kazakhstan in the bronze playoff.
B
India conclude campaign with seven medals:
The Indian recurve archers lost Korea to settle for two silver medals in the men’s and team events of the Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka on Friday. The archers also bagged a bronze in the recurve mixed team event as India concluded their campaign with one gold, four silver and two bronze medals.
Asia Cup
2017: Gold and Silver in Stage I
Archiman Bhaduri, Archers bag two medals in Bangkok, March 27, 2017: The Times of India
India claimed a gold and a silver in the Asia Cup archery Stage I meet that concluded in Bangkok. It was a creditable show as the Archery Association of India (AAI) fielded a young, second-string team.
The men's compound team of Aman Saini, Shivansh Awasthi and Robert Singh Keithellakpam, who qualified third with a score of 2068, scraped past Iran 231-230 in the final to claim gold.
The women's recurve trio of Sakshi Rajendra Shitole, Promila Daimary and Ankita Bhakat had to be satisfied with silver after going down 0-6 to Chinese Taipei in the final. Earlier, they beat Iran 6-2 in the quarterfinal after get ting a bye in the first round by virtue of qualifying second in the 12-team competition.They then thrashed Malaysia 6-0 to make the final.
The Indian men's compound team had a smooth passage, brushing aside the challenge of United Arab Emirates 232-202 in the first round and Thailand 233-221 in the quarterfinal. The trio then saw off a tough challenge from Malaysia to squeeze out a 232-230 win in the last-four clash.
In the individual event, 19year-old Saini made the quarters before losing to Iran's 143145 to Ebadi Esmaeil. The Iranian archer went on to win gold.
India went out in quarterfinal in both recurve and compound mixed team events.
2018, Muskan Kirar wins Asia Cup gold
Two years back, while scouting for potential archers, coach Richpal Singh Salaria had picked a bunch of youngsters for training. The bunch included a 15-year-old 10th-grade-student from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh — Muskan Kirar.
Making rapid strides under coach Salaria, Muskan broke into the senior side within just one year and reached the top of the podium in a major international event on Wednesday when she clinched the women’s compound gold in Archery Asia Cup in Bangkok.
Among other Indians, Promila Daimary also secured a gold medal winning the women's recurve title.
“Her family wants her to be a doctor, so they were taken aback when I selected Muskan for archery training in April 2016,” an overjoyed Salaria told TOI from Bangkok. “It’s a moment of great pride for me that she proved me right by winning the gold with less than two years of training."
The coach said that Muskan, who just turned17, picked up the game so fast that even the authorities at her school thought she had been practicing archery secretly for years before being selected by Salaria. “Within few months of training, she played in the age categories and even won a gold in u-17 event in Bhubaneswar last year. She subsequently made it to the senior team and took part in the Asia Cup in 2017. She has a technically sound game and a very good attitude, which is helping her do well.”
The coach said that Muskan, daughter of a shopkeeper, had some “unbelievable” scores while winning the gold in Bangkok. Next goal? “Now the focus is on the Asian Games. I am sure she has the game and the ability to bring laurels for the country,” the coach said.
Congratulating Muskan Madhya Pradesh sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia said, “Muskan has given the best gift to the state on the eve of Women’s Day.”
2018, Seven medals in Asia Cup
Archiman Bhaduri, Indian archers claim seven medals in Asia Cup, April 13, 2018: The Times of India
Indian archers bagged a rich haul of seven medals in the Asia Cup Stage 2 event that concluded in Manila on Wednesday. Aman Saini and Divya Dhayal claimed bronze in individual categories — men’s and women’s compound events, respectively — while the team events fetched five medals.
It was a very creditable performance from a second-string Indian contingent which achieved podium finishes in all team events barring men’s compound. Saini got past his countrymate Pritish Chowdhury 143-137 in the quarters but went down 146-148 to eventual gold-medal winner Paul Marton de la Cruz of Philippines in the semifinals. Saini claimed bronze by beating Lin Che-Wei of Chinese Taipei 145-138.
Divya, who won a bronze in the women’s compound team category in the Stage 1 tournament in Bangkok last month, defeated teammate Anil Hiwral 142-136 in the last-eight stage. But she failed to make the final, going down 138-147 to Chen Yi-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei. Divya then raised her game in the bronzemedal playoff match, which she won 10-9 via tie-break after being tied 138-all with Chinese Taipei rival Lin Ming-Ching.
Both the men’s and women’s recurve teams clinched bronze after losing to Korea in the semifinals. The men’s team of Akash, Ho Gora and Gaurav Lambe lost 0-6 in the semifinal but subdued Mongolia by same margin to claim bronze. The women’s trio of Ridhi, Sakshi Shitole and Promila Daimary went down 4-5 in the last-four clash before outclassing Mongolia 6-2 to seal bronze.
The compound and recurve mixed teams, too, claimed bronze while the women’s compound team of Mrinal Hiwrale, Dhayal and Muskan Kirar fell 221-225 to Chinese Taipei at the final hurdle to be satisfied with silver.
2022
A
Indian archers Parth Salunkhe and Ridhi Phor made amends for their first round exit in the individual section, advancing to the finals of the recurve mixed event at the Asia Cup on Friday. India, however, had disappointment in store in the compound mixed event where Rishabh and Sakshi Chaudhary were eliminated in the first round, losing to Malaysian rivals 151-153.
Overall, India have now advanced into seven finals and two bronze play-off matches in the World Ranking Stage 1 tournament which has a depleted field without Asian archery heavyweights South Korea, China, Japan and Chinese Taipei. In a small field of eight teams, the top-seeded duo of Salunkhe and Ridhi got a bye into the semifinal where they defeated their Malaysian opponents 6-2 (35-36, 39-33, 39-34, 39-38).
World Archery Championships
2005. Madrid
Men’s recurve team: silver
(Tarundeep Rai, Gautam Singh, Jayanta Talukdar)
India’s first World Championships medal.
2011
Women’s recurve team: silver
(Deepika Kumari , Laishram Bombayla Devi, Chekrovolu Swuro)
The Times of India, Aug 02 2015
The women's recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Chekrovolu Swuro and Laishram Bombayla Devi had won India a silver medal in the World Championship in 2011.
2015, Copenhagen
Rajat Chauhan: silver
India’s first compound archery medal in this tournament. Chauhan was the first Indian to win an individual medal at the World Championships.
Women’s recurve team: silver
(Deepika Kumari , Rimil Buriuly, Laxmirani Majhi)
Silver for Chauhan
The Times of India, Aug 02 2015
Archiman Bhaduri & Ritu Sejwal
20-year-old wins India's first individual medal in world archery
Rajat Chauhan created history by winning a silver medal in the World Archery Championships in Copenhagen on Saturday . This is India's first individual medal in the World event.The 20-year-old marksman, who won the team gold medal in the A Asian Games last year, went down s fighting to local favourite Stephan Hansen of Denmark 147-143 in the compound individual final event. Chauhan started well against Hansen, matching his local rival arrow for arrow to tie the first two sets, both scoring 29 points each. In the third set, Hansen opened up a handy three-point lead with three perfect 10s to net 30 points. Chauhan could manage only 27 in that third set.
The Indian rallied well in the fourth set to reduce the deficit by one point. But Hansen, buoyed by local support, produced his best yet again and came up with a perfect score (30) in the last set to take the match away from Chauhan who managed a creditable 28.
Silver for women's recurve team
The Times of India, Aug 03 2015
Archiman Bhaduri
The women's recurve team failed to win the final against Russia and had to be content with a silver medal in the World Archery Championship in Copenhagen . It was India's second silver medal of the meet their best-ever show in the World Championship. the women's recurve team, comprising Deepika Kumari, Laxmi Rani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly squandered a two-set lead to go down to top seed Russia 4-5 in the shoot-off at the Christiansborg Palace.
In spite of enjoying a handsome 4-0 lead at the end of the first two sets, the Indian trio finally had to settle for a silver medal. This was Russia's first world title in recurve category since 1991. After grabbing an Olympic quota place, the women's team began on a confident note winning the first two sets 56-54 and 54-53, respectively. World No 8 Deepika Kumari led from the front hitting the maximum number of 10s in the first two sets.
But Tuyana Dashidorzhieva, Ksenia Perova and Inna Stepanova slowly got into their groove. While they hit three 10s, Majhi and Buriuly shot seven each which helped the Russians crawl back into the contest by bagging the third set 56-52. ndia could have sealed the issue in the fourth set, but the trio lost their nerves. Deepika began with a nine, but Majhi and Buriuly could manage just 7 and 6 respectively . Although Deepika finished strongly with a 10, it was not good enough for India as the Russians won the fourth set 54-50 to tie the match at 4-4.
India, who shuffled the shooting order throughout the match, kept Deepika for the last shot in the ensuing three-arrow tie-breaker.Majhi matched Dashidorzhieva's perfect 10, but Buriuly came up with a poor 8 as the Russians hit back-to-back 9s.
2017: Mexico City
Recurve Men
17 Mangal Singh Champia India
33 Kinley Tshering Bhutan
57 Atanu Das India
57 Tarundeep Rai India
57 Nima Wangdi Bhutan
117 Lam Dorji Bhutan
Recurve Women
9 Promila Daimary India
33 Deepika Kumari India
57 Sonam Dema Bhutan
57 Monika Saren India
Compound Men
6 Abhishek Verma India
17 Aman Saini India
57 Gurwinder Singh India
Compound Women
9 Lily Chanu Paonam India
9 Jyothi Surekha Vennam India
17 Trisha Deb India
Recurve Men Team
9 India
27 Bhutan
Recurve Women Team
9 India -
Recurve Mixed Team
5 India
31 Bhutan
Compound Men Team
9 India
Compound Women Team
2 India
India’s first ever medal in the compound team archery section at the World Championships
Compound Mixed Team
9 India
2019/ Indian recurve team reaches final
Archiman Bhaduri, June 14, 2019: The Times of India
Indian recurve team makes final
A Day After Sealing Oly Berth, Men Beat Dutch To Set Up China Clash
New Delhi:
There’s no stopping the Indian men’s archery team. A day after sealing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic team quota, the Indian trio of Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Pravin Jadhav made the final of the World Archery Championships at ’SHertogenbosch, Netherlands.
The team will fight for their maiden gold medal in the event against China, who stunned top seeded Korea 6-2 in the semifinal. The last time the recurve men’s team made the final at the world championships was in Madrid way back in 2005. Rai was part of that squad too, which finished runners-up.
India overcame a tense semifinal clash, getting better of second seeded the Netherlands 5-4. The hosts took early lead winning the first set 56-54. But India fought back to level scores (2-2) wining the second 52-49. Netherlands again went ahead winning the third 57-56 only to be tied as India clinched the fourth set 57-55.
In the shoot-off, the Indian team won by a solitary point 29-28. “We’ve actually worked very hard,” said Das. “We came to the Netherlands 10 days before the world championships, we practised in Breda and that helped us a lot. We understand the wind and all conditions. We just enjoyed ourselves and gave our best,” the Olympian added.
Talking about the final challenge, Das said “We are going to enjoy and give our best. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for so long,” Das stated.
India also remained in the medal contention in the women’s compound team event as they face Turkey in the bronze medal playoff match on Saturday. The team of Muskan Kirar, Raj Kaur and Jyothi Vennam lost narrowly to USA 227-226 in the semifinals.
World Cup
World Cup, 2015: Gold for India, Men's individual
The Times of India, August 15, 2015
Abhishek Verma gave India a perfect Independence Day gift by fighting his way to the gold medal in the compound men's individual section to open their account in the Archery World Cup Stage 3. Having failed as a team in the bronze play-off earlier in the day , the world number 18 was at his best in the individual final as he held on to his lead to wrap up the issue 148-145 against Esmaeil Ebadi of Iran.
The Asian Games silver medallist thus avenged his defeat to Ebadi at the Incheon 2014 in style.
World Cup, 2015: Silver for India, Mixed pair
The Times of India, Aug 17 2015
Indians bag silver in archery WC
Indian recurve mixed pair of Deepika Kumari and Mangal Singh Champia settled for a silver after losing to their Mexican opponents in the final in the Archery World Cup Stage 3. The Mexican pair of London Olympics silver medallists Aida Roman and Juan Rene Serrano took a 3-1 lead after the second end before winning the gold with a an easy 5-1 win in a one-sided contest.
Indoor World Cup, 2017: Indoor Archery World Cup: 1 medal
Deepika earns lone medal for India, December 5, 2017: The Times of India
Indian archers managed just one medal in the Indoor Archery World Cup Stage 2, that ended in Bangkok, thus failing to match their performance (nine medals) in the Asian Championship late last month. Thirdseeded Deepika Kumari won a bronze in the women’s recurve individual event when she defeated 13th-seeded Sayana Tsyrempilova of Russia 7-3.
2018, Bronze in WC
Bronze for archers in WC, April 29, 2018: The Times of India
India ended their campaign with a bronze medal in the compound mixed pair event at stage one of the Archery World Cup here on Saturday. In hunt for three bronze medals, India could only succeed in the mixed pair event when Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam combined to prevail over the Turkish team of Yesim Bostan and Demir Elmaagacli 154-148.
Indian pair led 39-35 in the first end with three perfect 10s including one X. Verma and Jyothi extended the lead by 78-73 after the second end and continued their consistent show in the final end with another 39 to win by six points. India thus ended their campaign with just one medal.
Sumit, Nikhat in finals of jhBelgrade intl boxing: Asian silver-medallist Sumit Sangwan (91kg) and former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) were among the eight Indian boxers to make the finals, while five others settled for bronze medals in the 56th Belgrade International Tournament in Serbia.
Sumit defeated Greece's Vagkan Nanitzanian after his opponent threw in the towel. Nikhat out-punched Serbia's Nina Radovanovic for a unanimous 3-0 win. Also advancing to the finals were Himanshu Sharma (49kg), Laldinmawia (52kg), Varinder Singh (56kg), Pawan Kumar (69kg), Jamuna Boro (54kg), and Ralte Lalfakmawii (+81kg).
2018, India archers win 2 medals in Antalya
May 27, 2018: The Times of India
In yet another disappointing show the Indian archers returned with two medals — a silver and bronze in compound team events — in the second stage of the archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey. This is one better than the single bronze medal that the squad won in World Cup Stage I in Shanghai. The recurve archers continued their dismal performance failing to win a single medal. Their only medal hope ended up in smoke as the recurve women’s team of Deepika Kumari, Promila Daimary and Ankita Bhagat lost bronze medal playoff match.
2018, World Cup Stage III: Deepika gets gold
Top archer Deepika Kumari, a four-time World Cup Final silver medallist, beat Germany's Michelle Kroppen 7-3 to win the gold medal in women’s singles recurve event of the World Cup Stage III. In a close contest, Deepika raised her game to win the last two rounds and break the 3-3 deadlock after round three.
The gold medal winning performance helped Deepika qualify for the World Cup Final in Samsun, Turkey.
However, Deepika and Atanu Das lost to Chinese Taipei’s Tang Chih-Chun and Tan Ya-Ting 4-5 in the mixed team bronze medal match.
2018, World Cup Finals: Deepika wins bronze
Deepika lands bronze in World Cup Finals, October 1, 2018: The Times of India
India’s Deepika Kumari held her nerves in an intriguing play-off to down Lisa Unruh and win the bronze medal in the Archery World Cup Finals here Sunday.
Both the players were tied at 5-5 at the end of five sets, which led to a shoot-off. Deepika and Unruh both shot 9 but Deepika won bronze because her arrow was closer to the centre. This was Deepika’s fifth World Finals’ podium. A draw would have been enough for Deepika to seal the issue in the fifth set, but in the absence of a coach the Indian struggled to keep pace with the timing.
Deepika, a veteran in the World Cup Finals with four silver medals, came out on top in the shoot-off. “This was for the first time I shot at a big competition like this without a coach. The stronger the competition, the better we get,” Deepika later said.
World Cup Stage 1
2022
April 24, 2022: The Times of India
ANTALYA: India bagged its second gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 1 as the recurve mixed team of Tarundeep Rai and Ridhi Phor came from behind to pip Great Britain in the shoot-off.
Pairing up for the first time ever, two-time Olympian Rai and the young Ridhi trailed twice 0-2 and 2-4 but held their nerve to close out the tie 5-4 (35-37, 36-33, 39-40, 38-37) (18-17) enroute their maiden gold medal.
India thus concluded its campaign in the first event of the calendar year with two gold medals, the first coming through the compound men's team of Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan and Aman Saini Incidentally for the 38-year-old Rai, who won the Asian Games silver in Guangzhou 2010, this was his first-ever mixed team medal in the World Cup.
And for 17-year-old Ridhi, this was her first ever World Cup medal as the duo showed amazing character to come back twice and seal the issue in the shoot-off with two 9s. The British duo of Bryony Pitman and Alex Wise shot 9 and 8.
It was a disastrous start for the new-look Indian pair as it shot the red-ring twice (8-8) to lose the first set by two points.
But Rai and Ridhi were able to level the score in the second set, thanks to two below-par rounds (7-8) by the British pair.
The third set was a high-scoring affair as Rai and Ridhi shot 39/40, but their rivals went ahead by a point, drilling in a perfect 40/40 with two Xs (closest to the centre) to push the Indian duo behind once again.
Not ready to give up, Rai and Ridhi shot two 10s to put pressure on their rivals, who misfired in the red ring once, to seal the match.
World Cup Stage II
2022
A
Archiman Bhaduri, May 22, 2022: The Times of India
Kolkata: The Indian compound archers restored to the popular ‘Pushpa’ celebration after doing an encore to win the gold medal in World Cup Stage II in Gwangju, South Korea. Just a month back, the Indian trio of Rajat Chauhan, Aman Saini and Abhishek Verma handed their same rival, France, a defeat in the summit clash at World Cup Stage I at Antalya, Turkey. Just minutes after that triumph, Verma paired up with Avneet Kaur to beat
Turkey’s Ayse Bera Suzer and Emircan Haney156-155 to take the mixed team bronze.
India appeared in four of the five compound finals in Gwangju, winning one gold, two bronze and a silver. With the recurve women side claiming a bronze in the team event, India finished with five medals in the second stage.
In a strange similarity to last month’s final, the sixthseeded France team of Adrien Gontier, Jean Philippe Boulch and Quentin Baraer, led the first two sets before India made a sterling comeback.
World Cup Stage III
2022
India finish with 3 medals
Paris: Women’s recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Simranjeet Kaur settled for a silver medal after the trio’s fairytale run was halted by Chinese Taipei in a one-sided final at the World Cup Stage 3 here on Sunday. India concluded their campaign with one gold and two silver medals -two of them coming in the compound section. The women’s recurve team failed to make much of an impact and lost to Chinese Taipei 5-1 (53-56, 56-56, 53-56) in straight sets. it was a memorable return for world no. 3 Deepika, who returned with a team silver.
World Youth Championships
2017: 3 medals
Jemson & Ankita strike gold, Oct 10 2017: The Times of India
Indian junior archers won three medals in the World Youth Championships that concluded in Rosario, Argentina. Jemson Ningthoujam and Ankita Bhakat clinched the gold medal in the mixed team event and the threemember junior men's recurve team, which also included Jemson, settled for a silver.
India's third medal came in the compound cadet women's team event with Khushbu Dhayal, Sanchita Tiwari and Divya Dhayal picking up a bronze.
Jemson and Ankita fetched India a gold medal at the World Youth Championships after six years. India's last gold medal at this meet had come in 2011 when Deepika Kumari had triumphed in the recurve junior category . Deepika had also won a gold in the recurve cadet category in 2009.
2021
India bag 3 gold
India won three gold and a silver medal in the 2021 World Archery Youth Championships in Wroclaw, Poland. India won the gold medals in compound cadet (under-18) men’s team, compound cadet women’s team and compound cadet mixed team competitions, while the silver came in the compound cadet women’s event. India are in for another rich haul of medals on Sunday as their archers figure in four finals and two bronze medal matches. AGENCIES
Final tally: 14 medals, including 8 gold
Indian youth archers claim 14 medals, including 8 gold
A day after the Indian junior compound archers completed a fabulous winning run, the recurve archers too rose to the occasion to add five gold and three bronze medals to the country’s medals tally on the concluding day of the World Youth Archery Championships in Wroclaw, Poland on Sunday. The compound archers had ended their campaign on Saturday with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals, making it their best-ever performance at the world championships, reports Archiman Bhaduri.
Overall, in recurve and compound sections, India claimed eight gold, one silver and five bronze medals in what was the best-ever showing by the archers at the event.
International ranking
July 2018: Women’s compound team world No. 1
Archiman Bhaduri, Indian women's compound team is world No. 1, July 27, 2018: The Times of India
Indian archery received a shot in the arm with the women’s compound team vaulting to the top of the world rankings, as per the list released by the world body. This is the first time that India have been ranked No. 1. The Indian team has a tally of 342.6 points, six more than second-placed Chinese Taipei. The Indian women had a good run in the four World Cup stages this season, winning a silver medal each in the Antalya and Berlin legs.
Year-wise statistics
2018
Women’s 4x400m relay
August 14, 2018: The Times of India
The Indian women’s 4x400m relay team has been on a roll over the last three editions. After winning the gold in 2006 in Doha, the Indian quartet repeated the feat in Guangzhou and completed a fine hat-trick four years later in Incheon. They would be looking at yet another golden run; anchoring their laps to glory would be new star, 400m junior world champion Hima Das.
Compound events
August 14, 2018: The Times of India
For a change, the compound archers will carry India’s medal hopes more than the recurve ones who have always hogged the limelight for being an Olympic event. However, the elimination of compound individual events in this Asian Games is a huge setback. India will fancy their chances in the compound mixed team event which has been introduced for the first time in this Games. Abhishek Verma and his partner Jyothi Surekha have bagged bronze medals in all the four World Cup legs in 2018 and thus will start as favourites. The women’s compound team of Jyoti, Trisha Deb, Muskan Kirar and Madhumita Kumari will go to Jakarta as the World No. 1 team. They will look to improve upon their bronze-medal winning show of last Games. Rajat Chauhan, Verma, Aman Saini and Sangampreet Singh Bisla look good to repeat the team gold they won four years ago.
Recurve events
August 14, 2018: The Times of India
Both the men’s and women’s sides lack experienced hands and have to depend on raw talents of Pramila Daimary, Ankita Bhakatalong with Laxmirani Majhi in the women’s event and Sukhchain Singh, Vishwas Kumar and Jagdish Chaudhary in the men’s event. India’s highestranked archer, Deepika Kumari (No. 7), had struck gold after six years in July at the World Cup Stage 3 in Salt Lake City. But the strong South Korean side had skipped that event. The men’s challenge will depend on Olympian Atanu Das.
2019
A summary of the year
Hindol Basu and Rohit Bharadwaj, Dec 29, 2019 The Times of India
SO NEAR, YET SO FAR
The Indian men’s recurve team of Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Pravin Jadhav qualified for the World Archery Championships final after a gap of 14 years. Seeking their maiden gold, the team came pretty close before settling for silver in Den Bosch (The Netherlands). This was India’s sixth silver at the World Championships. It was a heartbreaking loss since the Indian men’s team held China in the first and third set before losing their way to concede gold 2-6. There was some consolation though as India bagged the full three-member Olympic quota — for the first time since the 2012 London Games.
Asian Archery Championships
3 bronze medals
Nov 27, 2019: The Times of India
Led by Atanu Das, Indian archers made a big statement by bagging three bronze medals, while ensuring at least three silvers at the ongoing Asian Championship here.
The Indian archers are competing in the tournament as neutral athletes under the World Archery flag due to the suspension of the national federation (AAI). Das first clinched a bronze in the men's recurve individual event in the morning. He beat Jin Hayek Oh of Korea 6-5 in the shoot-off in the bronze medal contest. PTI
India ends with 1 gold (Abhishek-Jyothi), 2 silver, 4 bronze
Abhishek-Jyothi pair claims compound mixed pair gold at Asian archery
Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam claimed the top honours in compound mixed pair event to fetch India’s lone gold at the 21st Asian Archery Championships, which ended here on Wednesday with the country picking up seven medals in all. Verma and Vennam won the mixed pair gold by overwhelming their Chinese Taipei opponents Yi-Hsuan Chen and Chieh-Luh Chen 158-151. India ended with one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
Asian Qualification Tournament
Deepika secures Olympic quota place
Deepika Kumari secured an individual women’s recurve quota place for the Tokyo Olympics after striking gold in the Asian Qualification Tournament in Bangkok on Thursday. The top-ranked archer saw off Nur Afisa Abdul Halil of Malaysia 7-2, Zahra Nemati (Iran) 6-4 and local girl Narisara Khunhiranchaiyo 6-2 to make the last four which ensured a quota place. But she did not stop there and stormed into the final thrashing Viernam’s Nguyet 6-2 to set up a summit clash with countrymate Ankita Bhakat. The Jharkhand archer blanked her Bengal rival to win gold. The Indian archers competed without a flag due to the national federation’s suspension by the world body. World Archery later confirmed that the quota will go to the Indian Olympic Committee.
Olympic test event: Deepika bags silver
July 18, 2019: The Times of India
India’s top-ranked woman archer Deepika Kumari clinched a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games test event after going down to 18-year-old Korean An San in straight sets here. Ranked fourth in the qualification round, Deepika found the going tough against the second seed, who produced fine shooting including a flawless third set to clinch the match 6-0 in her favour.
A double gold medallist at the recently-concluded fourth stage of the World Cup in Berlin, San took the first set narrowly when she pipped the Indian by one point. The Korean then won won the second set 29-25, before three perfect 10s won her the gold. “I was doing it perfectly but in the final I couldn’t really catch up with my shooting,” Deepika said after her loss in the final. “Recently, I changed my technique. I’m catching up. That’s why the different score,” she H said.
“I learnt a lot of things from here. I will improve. When I lose a match, I totally forget my shooting. I’ve to work on that.” The Indian women’s team are yet to qualify for the next year’s Olympics but Deepika said the exposure will help. “We saw the place. Hopefully we qualify for the Olympics if we perform the same,” the former world number one said about the event at the Yumenoshima Archery Field, which is hosting its first international competition ahead of Tokyo Olympics.
This was Deepika’s first individual final in a world event since she won a gold at the World Cup in Salt Lake City in June, 2018. The medal will definitely boost the sagging morale of Indian women’s archery contingent, who missed the Olympic quota for Tokyo Games. PTI
World Archery Championships
Jyothi wins individual and team bronze
Archiman Bhaduri, June 16, 2019: The Times of India
India’s Jyothi Vennam claimed a ‘double’ winning bronze in the women’s team and individual compound events in the World Archery Championships in ’S-Hertogenbosch.
The Andhra girl picked up her maiden world championship individual medal by getting past the defending silver medallist in the event Yesim Bostan of Turkey in a shoot-off after both the archers were tied at 145 each at the completion of five ends. In the one-arrow tie-break, the 22-year-old Indian shot a perfect 10 to her rival’s 9. This was India’s only second individual medal at the world championships after Rajat Chauhan’s silver medal in men’s compound event in 2015 at Copenhagen.
The Asian Games silver medal winner had been in phenomenal form this time as she had earlier knocked out top-ranked Tanja Jensen of Denmark in the pre-quarterfinal, shooting back-toback 10s in a tiebreak. Earlier Jyothi led a great fightback in the women’s team event to script a 229-226 win against Turkey to fetch India’s first medal in the tournament.
Men’s recurve team wins silver
Archiman Bhaduri, June 17, 2019: The Times of India
Silver lining for archers
Indian Trio Goes Down To China 2-6 In The Summit Clash
New Delhi:
The Indian men’s recurve team faltered in the Archery World Championship final against China in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
Seeking their maiden gold after having made the World Championship final for the first time since 2005, India lost 2-6 to settle for silver.
However, it was a memorable outing for Indian archers, who managed to focus on their performance amid the chaotic state of affairs in the Archery Association of India (AAI) and return with one silver and two bronze medals.
Days after claiming 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota berths, the men’s team of Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Pravin Jadhav dominated the event till they ran into the Chinese team.
India tied the first set 53-53 against fifth-seeded China, who had stunned top seeds Korea in the semifinals. But the Indian trio lost the second set 51-58. Another tie in the third set (56-56) kept India’s hopes alive. With the tie score 4-2 in favour of China, India needed to win the fourth and final set to take the final to a tie-break.
But the Chinese archers proved too good as they hit three 10s to clinch the fourth set 57-52 and win gold for the first time.
Feng Hao, a member of China’s winning team, hailed India’s effort. “I thought we were going to lose the first set, but it was tied. But after that, I felt we were going to win because I could tell that they were nervous,” he said.
Rai, a member the team that had won silver in the 2005 Worlds in Madrid, took the result positively.
“It’s not so bad. We lost a big chance. But at least we have learnt many things which can help us change the colour of the medal in the future,” he remarked.
World Archery snubs IOA, allows AAI to run show
In a major relief to the Indian archers, the sport’s world governing body – World Archery (WA) – allowed them on Thursday to compete under the aegis of the newly-elected Archery Association of India (AAI) by authorising the BVP Rao-led faction to select the teams for international competitions. WA’s secretary general Tom Dielen has written a four-page letter in this regard to the AAI, sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), a copy of which is exclusively with TOI.
Extending the AAI’s recognition period post its controversial election on December 22 last year, the world body reiterated that the Indian federation remains in good standing with the WA and that it expects an early resolution to the issue prior to WA’s executive board meeting in Lausanne on May 31, 2019.
Since the matter is pending with the Supreme Court, which is yet to validate the AAI’s election and its new constitution, the WA’s secretary general has stated: “We fully trust that the SC will come to the best possible solution in the interest of the Indian athletes. How long this process will take is not clear, but everyone involved has confirmed that this should be finished latest within a six-month period. The WA awaits the outcome of the SC’s decision before we can validate the outcome of the General Council of December 22.”
In another setback to the IOA, which is against the outcome of the election, the WA categorically rejected its demand to form an ad-hoc body, a proposal mooted to Dielen during his meeting with IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta and senior vice-president R K Anand.
“In the interest of the athletes and knowing we are very close to the selection procedures for the World archery championships (in Hertogenbosch, Netherlands from June 10-16, 2019), and especially based on the input of the union sports secretary Radheyshyam Julaniya, the WA is clear that the creation of any temporary or a- hoc committee would only lead to confusion and would not be in the interest of the athletes,” Dielen stated in his letter.
However, Dielen has flagged off certain provisions in the new AAI’s constitution and has called for amendments. One of the biggest issues concerning the WA’s is the “lack of affiliation process of the athletes”.
“This is a major issue that needs correction as soon as possible since the affiliation is a matter that is a requirement for Indian athletes to participate in International competition. The fact that there is no clear provision for this, could put the whole Indian archery federation in a very delicate position in disciplinary, eligibility and other matters,” Dielen wrote.
Dielen also pointed out that the AAI needs to bring more clarity on issues like the conflict of interest, limitations on the tenure of an office-bearer and the composition of the executive committee for its smooth functioning.
World Cup Stage IV: No medal for Indians
Berlin: Recurve mixed pair of Atul Verma and Bombayla Devi Laishram lost to Italy 3-5 in the bronze play-off here on Sunday as India concluded their campaign in the Archery World Cup Stage IV without a medal.
World Youth Championships
India wins bronze
Archiman Bhaduri, August 24, 2019: The Times of India
India’s junior (U-21) archers earned their first medal at the World Archery Youth Championships when the compound men’s team bagged bronze in Madrid on Friday.
The trio of Sukhbeer Singh, Sangampreet Bisla and Sanjay Phadtare defeated Colombia’s Singh Mejia, Felipe Zuluage and Manuel Toro Vasquez 234-231.
It was a great show by the trio after having trailed by a point at the end of three ends. They raised their game when it mattered most to win the fourth and last end 60-56, to prevail by three points. The Indian contingent is in contention to win two more medals as the compound junior mixed team made the final after getting past Iran 154-151. They will play Switzerland for the gold medal on Saturday. India are the reigning champions in this category, Jemson Ningthoujam and Ankita Bhakat having clinched gold in the last edition at Rosario two years ago.
Jharkhand’s Komalika Bari was also assured of a medal after she reached the final of the recurve cadet (U-18) section. The 17-yearold will bagttle for gold with Japan’s Sonoda Waka on Sunday. Bari prevailed over Korean Jang Mi in a shoot-off after staging a remarkable comeback from 1-5 at the end of three sets to tie the score at 5-5 after five sets. “In the shoot-off, I thought I was going to lose because I shot a nine, but when the judge announced my name, it felt very good,” Bari latter said.
The Indian archers won’t be competing under the National flag as World Archery’s suspension of AAI comes into effect after this event.
2020
World Archery lifts suspension on India
Jan 23, 2020: The Indian Express
World Archery lifts suspension on India
Kolkata:
In a big boost to Indian archers’ preparations for the Tokyo Olympics, the world body conditionally lifted the suspension on India but with immediate effect, less than a week after the embattled national federation held its elections.
While lifting the ban, World Archery instructed the Archery Association of India to make changes in its constitution regarding athlete membership, resolve governance issues and develop a strategic plan. It also asked AAI to furnish a quarterly progress report on these issues.
“World Archery has conditionally lifted the suspension of the Archery Association of India following elections in New Delhi on 18 January. The decision was made by executive board postal vote,” the WA said in a statement.
Union minister Arjun Munda was elected as AAI president here on Saturday in the polls held on the orders of the Delhi High Court. World Archery and Indian Olympics Association had sent their observers for the elections. “Indian archers are allowed to compete in World Archery events as of Thursday 23 January 2020,” it added. PTI
2021
World Championship
Sep 23, 2021: The Times of India
India’s women’s compund archery team beat hosts USA 226 to 225 to win gold at the World Championship. However the men’s team led by seasoned Abhishek Verma lost 235-238 to Austria in the final to settle for a silver medal. The women’s team comprising Priya Gurjar, Muskan Kirar and Jyothi Surekha held their nerves in a close battle with Linda Ochoa-Anderson, Paige Pearce and Proctor.
In the men’s section, Verma along with Sangam Bisla and Roshab Yadav fought well but had to settle for silver. In men’s recurve section, Salunkhe Parth Sushant, Aditya Choudhary and Atul Verma will compete in the first round of the eliminations after finishing 45th, 53rd and 56th respectively.
Ankita Bhakat, Ridhi and Bari Komalika made it to the second round of women’s recurve after finishing 20th, 26th and 29th respectively. All the three got first round byes. In men’s recurve team event, Indian trio of Salunkhe Parth Sushant, Aditya Choudhary and Atul Verma will face Canada in the first round of eliminations after finishing 13th in the qualification.
World Cup Stage I
Initial results
Archiman Bhaduri, April 24, 2021: The Times of India
India’s Olympic-bound archer couple Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari will strive for individual medals after making the semifinals of their respective recurve categories at the World Cup Stage I in Guatemala City. The duo now stands a chance to finish on the podium for the first time since their marriage in 2020.
While Deepika had won stages of the World Cup before – in Antalya in 2012 and in Salt Lake City in 2018, apart from three podium finishes at the World Cup Finals, Atanu’s best show so far had been a fourth-place finish in Antalya in 2016. They will face Mexican rivals with Atanu taking on Angel Alvardo and Deepika clashing with Alejandra Valencia in the semifinals.
Atanu and Ankita Bhakat stand in line to win another medal after making the bronze-medal playoffs of the recurve mixed team event, which will make its debut in Tokyo Games this year. The pair will face the US after going down to Mexico 4-5 in a shoot-off in the semifinals.
However, all the other Indians were knocked out at various stages of individual events. While Olympian Tarundeep Rai and Dhiraj Bommadevara exited in the second round, Pravin Jadhav fell to Atanu in the prequarterfinals, losing 4-6. In spite of all the women recurve archers getting a bye in the first round, they failed to make much progress with Komalika Bari and Madhu Vedwan falling in the second round. Ankita went out in the quarterfinals, going down to Alvardo of Mexico.
Indian women remain in the final of team event
Archiman Bhaduri, April 26, 2021: The Times of India
The Indian women’s recurve archers have not yet sealed an Olympic team quota place, but they remained on the right track by storming into the final of team event of the World Cup Stage I at Sport Complex Los Arcos in Guatemala City on Friday, on their return to international competition after almost two years.
The trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari dominated their rivals recording identical 6-0 wins against hosts Guatemala City (58-35, 52-39, 57-44) in the quarterfinals and then Spain (55-54, 56-49, 55-53) in the semifinals within a span of a little over an hour.
However, the men’s team, which has already sealed the team Olympic berth, went down fighting to Spain in the quarterfinals. Atanu Das, Pravin Ramesh Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai rallied from 0-4 down to draw level 4-4. However, they were knocked out scoring 26-27 in the three-arrow shoot-off.
The women’s team will take on seventh-seed Mexico in the gold-medal clash on Sunday.
Women win team gold
Archiman Bhaduri, April 26, 2021: The Times of India
Indian women won the gold medal in the recurve team event in the World Cup Stage I at Sport Complex Los Arcos in Guatemala City.
The women’s trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari got the better of Mexico in the summit clash, winning narrowly 5-4. India began well winning the first set 57-56, but the Mexican trio of Ana Vazquez, Alejandra Valentina and Aida Roman staged a great comeback, grabbing the next two sets with identical scores of 57-55.
Going into the final set, the Indian eves brought out their best, winning 57-52 to tie the scores 4-4. The match was decided in a thrilling finish as India edged past their rivals by just one point in the threearrow tie-break. While India hit 27 (9, 8, 10), their rivals ended up hitting 26 (7,10, 9). This was India’s fifth gold in World Cup women’s team event, having previously won in Shanghai 2011, Medellin 2013 and Wroclaw in 2013 and 14.
However, this win was more commendable as this Indian team was relatively less experienced. Deepika, who played alongside seasoned archers Dola Banerjee and Bombayla Devi previously to win laurels for the country, found herself leading youngsters Ankita and Komalika this time. However, she did stand out with some consistent show relieving much pressure from her teammates.
India wins 4 medals
Archiman Bhaduri, April 27, 2021: The Times of India
The husband-wife duo of Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari produced the best-ever show for India in individual events of the archery World Cup, both winning gold medals in the World Cup Stage I at Sport Complex Los Arcos in Guatemala City on Sunday. The Indian archers were lined up for four medals on the last day of the competition and they picked up all, in different colours, to make it a super Sunday. Deepika pouched her first gold when she teamed up with Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari to get the better of Mexico in the women’s recurve team summit clash, India winning 5-4.
Her husband followed that up an hour later with a bronze medal in the mixed team event. The duo of Atanu and Ankita Bhakat humbled their US counterparts 6-2. In the individual event, former world number one Deepika, seeded third, won her third career-stage victory, prevailing in an intense shoot-off to edge out USA’s eighth seed Mackenzie Brown 6-5 in the final. Earlier in the semifinal she defeated Mexico’s Alejandra Valencia 7-3.
Deepika allowed her rival to come back after getting off to a fluent start, taking a 3-1 lead after two sets. But the pressure was back on the Indian as Brown won the third and fourth sets that saw Deepika entering the fifth and final set 3-5 down. The two-time Olympian, however, held her nerves to win that and take the match to the tie-breaker. Shooting first, the Jharkhand archer shot a nine. Brown matched that but the Indian prevailed as her arrow was nearer to the centre. “The most difficult part was the sound of heart beat, which made me really nervous,” Deepika summed up her victory nicely.
However, a little later she would have had her heart in the mouth watching her husband trail 2-4 after three sets in the final against Spain’s Daniel Castro. However, Atanu finished off things in style winning the next two sets to seal the tie 6-4. “It’s a big boost for me,” Atanu said after claiming his maiden individual WC medal.
World Cup Stage III
Atanu, Deepika in mixed final
Paris: Star archery couple Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari assured India its first medal from the ongoing World Cup Stage 3 by entering the final of the mixed pair event with a comeback 5-3 win over Spain here on Thursday. Atanu and Deepika, who are India’s best medal hope in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, were at their best to make their first final together.
Day 3: Abhishek Verma wins gold
PTI, June 26, 2021: The Times of India
Archery World Cup Stage 3: Abhishek Verma, showing nerve of steel, clinched the contest in style with a perfect 10 to open India's account. It was Verma's second individual World Cup gold medal.
Star compound archer Abhishek Verma stunned American heavyweight Kris Schaff in a shoot-off to bag a gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 3. In a neck-and-neck final clash, the duo dropped just two points each to be locked 148-all after the regulation five ends. The world number five Schaff started the shoot-off with a nine and Verma, showing nerve of steel, clinched the contest in style with a perfect 10 to open India's account. It was Verma's second individual World Cup gold medal.
The 32-year-old Indian last won an individual medal in 2015 at World Cup Stage 3 in Wroclaw.
"That's archery, it's all about hits and misses. My heart beat went up so I just calmed myself down and kept my focus on the next arrow," Verma said about the intense finish.
Earlier Verma defeated Anton Bulaev of Russia 146-138 to make his first World Cup final since Salt Lake City 2018 where he had finished with a silver. Starting off with 29, the Indian trailed by one point with Bulaev shooting three perfect 10s. But Verma bounced back strongly with another 29 in the third, before stepping up in the penultimate end with three perfect 10s.
Heading into the final end with a three point lead, Verma finished it off in style with three 10s including one closest to the centre (X). India are eyeing three more medals in the recurve team, individual and mixed pair event, slated for Sunday with world number three Deepika Kumari aiming for a hat-trick of gold medals.
Day 4: India tops medals tally
June 27, 2021: The Times of India
PARIS: Star archer Deepika Kumari led the show with supreme authority to grab a hat-trick of gold medals as India made an unprecedented clean sweep at the World Cup Stage 3 here on Sunday for a perfect build-up to the Tokyo Olympics in less than a month's time.
In the absence of the world number one Korea, the Indians faced little challenge to win the women's individual, team and mixed pair events with Deepika a constant in each of them, playing back-to-back four matches in less than five hours.
Having secured Olympic qualifications, Korea, along with other Asian heavyweights like China and Chinese Taipei, skipped all the World Cups in the build up to the Tokyo Games.
India topped the medals tally with four gold medals as Abhishek Verma had clinched the solitary top medal in the compound section.
India's gold rush began with the women's recurve team of Deepika, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari notching up a comfortable win over Mexico, shrugging off the disappointment of missing Olympic qualification last week.
In a repeat of the World Cup first stage final where they struggled to clinch the gold, the trio this time did not even drop a set to win their second world title in two months.
Eyeing their first-ever gold medal together, Deepika and husband Atanu Das, who are India's best medal hope in archery in the Olympics, bounced back from a 0-2 deficit to down the Netherland's Sjef van den Berg and Gabriela Schloesser 5-3.
That was the only time India faced some challenge on the final day here as they displayed fine composure to reign supreme.
Deepika blanked 17th ranked Russian Elena Osipova 6-0 to cap a perfect three out of three in the recurve women's section, her fourth individual World Cup gold medal.
The World No 3 had won it in Guatemala City 2021, Salt Lake City 2018 and Antalya 2012. Overall, she has nine gold, 12 silver and seven bronze medals in the World Cup.
"This is the first time I've won all three medals in a World Cup. I'm really happy but at the same time, I've to continue improving as we have some very, very important competitions lined up," Deepika said. Less than a month from now, the Indian archers will be chasing their elusive Olympic medal dream among the best in the world.
"We do not have any Olympic medal in archery, so it's really important that we keep improving and keep up the show," she said.
In the semi-final, Deepika used all her experience to produce two spectacular opening sets to lead 4-0 against 20-year-old Ana Vazquez of Mexico before sealing a 6-2 win.
Deepika shot 29 each in the first two sets, while an under-pressure Ana faltered with two 8s to concede the match.
In the mixed pair final, fifth-seeded Atanu and Deepika complemented each other well as the latter came into her own after a sluggish start to give themselves a perfect anniversary gift in advance.
"It feels amazing. First time we won the final together, it feels so happy," Atanu said after their win.
The two got married after a two-year courtship and would be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on June 30.
"It feels we are made for each other. But at the ground we are not couple but like just other competitors, we motivate, support and back each other," Atanu said.
Incidentally, this was also a first mixed pair gold medal for the former world number one Deepika, who has five silver and three bronze medals in the event.
Her last mixed pair final appearance was also with Atanu in Antalya World Cup 2016. The duo had lost to Korea.
Earlier, the Indian women's team's flawless shooting put pressure on the Mexican team of London 2012 silver-medallist Aida Roman, Alejandra Valencia and Ana Vazquez.
They shot a poor 52 to lose the second set by three points. Leading 3-1, the Indians had another round of consistent shooting with a 55 but the Mexicans failed to equalise and lost the third set by a slender one point to suffer a second successive defeat this year.
Day 5: Deepika Kumari completed a hat-trick of titles
Archiman Bhaduri, June 28, 2021: The Times of India
It was a magical day that Deepika Kumari will not forget in a hurry. Contesting in three finals on Sunday, the last day of Archery World Cup Stage III in Paris, Deepika completed a hat-trick of titles to help India finish with four gold from the event. Abhishek Verma won a gold in men’s compound individual on Saturday.
Just three weeks before the Tokyo Games, the Jharkhand archer raised hopes of an Olympic medal as she finished on top of the podium in recurve team, mixed team and individual categories.
“The Olympics is very important for me as my country is yet to win a medal in archery,” she said, immediately focusing on the big event. However, she preferred to remain grounded. “This is the first time I have won three gold. I am happy, but I have to continue with this form and keep improving.”
The recurve women’s team of Deepika, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari picked up the gold with a comfortable 5-1 win over Mexico without dropping a set. It is therefore quite unfortunate that they will not get a chance to compete in Tokyo.
India shared points (57-57) in the first set before sweeping the rest of the match (55-52, 55-54). This was their second successive gold medal in World Cup this year and sixth overall (Shanghai-2011, Medellin-2013, Wroclaw-2013, Wroclaw-2014, Guatemala City-2o21) with Deepika being a consistent member each time.
It was an action replay of the summit clash of Guatemala City of World Cup Stage I two months back where too India had prevailed. Just an hour later, Deepika was back in the arena, this time with her husband Atanu Das for the mixed team final where they defeated the Netherlands’ Sjef van den Berg and Gabriela Schloesser 5-3 to win their first gold as a couple.
“I think we are made for each other,” an ecstatic Atanu said. “On the grounds, we are teammates. We motivate, boost and support each other to win together,” he added.
Women's 25m pistol event
PTI, June 28, 2021: The Times of India
OSIJEK: Olympic-bound Rahi Sarnobat displayed sensational form to clinch the women's 25m pistol gold medal at the ISSF shooting World Cup but teen sensation Manu Bhaker ended seventh in the same event.
Sarnobat's gold is India's first in the ongoing edition after the country secured one silver and two bronze medals earlier in the tournament.
The 30-year-old Sarnobat fired a final score of 39 after qualifying second with a total of 591. Her stupendous performance in the final included perfect scores in the third, fourth, fifth and the sixth series.
"After I got assurance about the gold, it was more about technicalities for me in the last few series as I wanted to try out a few things so I was doing that," she said about her stellar performance.
"This competition was absolutely not about performance or medal because I was trying out a few things which I am going to do in the Olympic Games and this is the final competition before that. "It was more about trying out things and finalising everything before the Olympics for the last time and that was just that," she added.
Nonetheless, winning a gold here has given Sarnobat the belief that her preparations are on the right track for the Tokyo Games.
"...I have to keep working on this up to and after the Olympic Games as well," she said.
The silver went to France's Mathilde Lamolle, who scored 31 in the final. Rio Olympics silver-medallist in the 10m air pistol, Russian Vitalina Batsarashkina, won bronze with 28 hits, bowing out after the ninth five-shot series.
In the qualification, Sarnobat fired a brilliant 296 in the rapid fire round. Her precision score was an equally impressive 295.
Bhaker recorded a total of 588 to qualify third after firing a 296 in the rapid fire round following an impressive 292 in the precision round.
However, she was eliminated early in the final with a disappointing score of 11, losing a shoot-off to Bulgaria's Viktoria Chaika.
Bhaker had teamed up with Saurabh Chaudhary for the 10m air pistol mixed team silver.
She had earlier clinched the women's 10m air pistol team bronze with Sarnobat and Yashaswini Deswal.
Before that, Chaudhary had won the men's 10m air pistol individual bronze medal.
This is the last competitive outing for the Olympic-bound shooters, who will go to Tokyo after their stint.
Archery World Championships
B: Verma elected to World committee; does well in arena, too
Archiman Bhaduri, Sep 24, 2021: The Times of India
The ongoing World Championships in Yankton, USA, is bringing good news to India’s top compound archer Abhishek Verma, both on and off the playing arena. Hours after the three-time World Cup gold medal-winning archer was elected to World Archery’s athletes’ committee on Wednesday, Verma made the compound mixed team final along with Jyoti Surekha Vennam. A former Asian Games gold-medallist, Verma was the only male candidate to find a place in the committee after the participants voted on the sidelines of the championship.
The 32-year-old Delhi archer, along with reigning women’s world champion Natalia Avdeeva of Russia will serve for four years and join chair Naomi Folkard and members Sjef van den Berg and Crystal Gauvin on the committee.
Returning to the field, Verma, who has won gold medals in the World Cups in Wroclaw, Poland (2015) and Paris earlier this year, paired up with Vennam to overcome the Korean duo of Kin Yunhee and Kim Jongho 159-156 in a tense semifinal battle late on Wednesday. India managed to take a slender one-point lead in the third end after being tied 79-79 at the conclusion of two ends. An all-10 score in the fourth end saw them win the match by three points. The Indian duo will play Colombia in the final.
Vennam will get another chance to bag a gold after making the compound women’s team final with Priya Gurjar and Muskan Kirar getting the better of hosts USA 226-225. The girls will also meet Colombia in the summit clash. However, Verma along with Sangam Bisla and Roshab Yadav were eliminated in the quarters of the men’s team event losing 235-238 to Austria. The recurve archers faltered with the men’s team of Parth Sushant Salunkhe, Aditya Choudhary and Atul Verma losing to Chinese Taipei 3-5 in the pre-quarters and their women’s counterparts of Ankita Bhakat, Ridhi and Komalika Bari falling to Mexico 2-6 in the quarters.
While praising the archers and coaches wholeheartedly, AAI president Arjun Munda said that reaching the gold medal matches in the top competition of the world is itself an excellent achievement and he’s sure that the archers will not only win medals and glory for the country in two events but also bring laurels in rest of the events too. Munda informed that the senior national archery championships is scheduled to be held at Jamshedpur from October 1 to 10 while the sub-junior meet will be held in Amravati in November.
The selection of the team for the all-important Asian Championships in Dhaka will be held immediately after the senior Nationals at Jamshedpur.
C
Sep 24, 2021: The Times of India
The Indian women’s compound archery team defeated hosts USA 226-225 to enter the finals but the men’s team lost in the lasteight stage of the World Championship.
The seventh-seeded women’s team, comprising Priya Gurjar, Muskan Kirar and Jyothi Surekha, held its nerves in a close battle with Linda Ochoa-Anderson, Paige Pearce and Makenna Proctor.
However, the men’s team, led by the seasoned Abhishek Verma, lost 235-238 to Austria in the quarterfinals. The Indian women’s trio will next face top seeds Colombia in the final. Colombia defeated France 234-220 in its semifinal match.
The mixed team of Verma and Surekha also entered the final, beating Korea’s Kim Yunhee and Kim Jongho 159-156. They will be up against second seeds Colombia in the summit clash.
In the men’s section, three-time World Cup goldmedallist Verma, along with Sangam Bisla and Roshab Yadav, fought well but could not advance ahead.
The Indian men’s team was seeded fifth in the draw. PTI
D
Archiman Bhaduri, Sep 26, 2021: The Times of India
India had to keep waiting for that elusive gold medal in archery world championship when both the compound women’s and mixed teams faltered at the summit clashes to end up with silver medals in Yankton, USA, on Friday. In spite of making eight finals in the event, India have always returned as the second-best.
Colombia proved to be India’s nemesis on both the finals on Friday. While the seventh seeded women’s team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Muskan Kirar and Priya Gurjar went down quite tamely 224-229 to Sara Lopez, Alejandra Usquiano and Nora Valdez, the mixed pair of Abhishek Verma and Vennam lost150-154 to Daniel Munoz and Sara. .India will now hope that Vennam and Verma, along with recurve archer Ankita Bhakat will make it all the way in their individual events.
E
Sep 27, 2021: The Times of India
Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam lost a nerve-wracking final to Colombian world number three Sara Lopez to settle for a silver in the compound women’s individual section at the Archery World Championships.
In the individual men’s compound event, three-time World Cup gold medallist Abhishek Verma made a quarterfinal exit, going down to world number one Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands by just one point (147-148) in a tight contest. Overall, India’s compound archers concluded their campaign with three silver medals.
Ankita Bhakat is the lone archer in fray in the recurve competition and she will compete in her last-eight match later.
Jyothi was a member of the Indian women’s and mixed pair compound archery teams who signed off with silver medals after lop-sided losses to Colombia.
India were in pursuit of their first gold medal at the world event. For a country that doesn’t have a gold yet, India have climbed the most podiums at the event (11), appearing in nine finals and leaving with silver each time. Jyothi, who won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in Den Bosch, Netherlands, was at her best and shot a perfect final end but the five-time World Cup champion Sara proved superior and clinched it by two points (146-144) in the individual event. PTI
