Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s women’s recurve team scripted one of their biggest victories in recent years by stunning 10-time Olympic champions South Korea to enter the final of the Archery World Cup Stage 2 on Thursday.The experienced trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and teenage archer Kumkum Mohod delivered a composed and clinical performance to defeat the mighty Koreans 5-1 in the semifinals and assure India of its first medal of the tournament.
The memorable victory set up a gold medal clash against second-seeded China on Sunday.While the women produced a sensational run, the men’s recurve team endured a disappointing campaign after crashing out in the opening round against Bangladesh in a below-par 2-6 defeat.Deepika-led India outclass KoreaFacing the sport’s most dominant nation, the Indian women showed remarkable composure from the very first set.The fourth-seeded Indians opened strongly with four perfect 10s from six arrows and dropped only two points to take the first set 58-55. The Korean side looked unsettled early and struggled after firing an 8.India maintained the pressure in the second set despite a slight dip in accuracy. Both teams finished tied at 56-56, allowing the Indians to extend their advantage to 3-1.With victory within touching distance, Deepika and company once again delivered under pressure. India shot another superb 58 in the third set, while the Koreans faltered with 56, sealing a dominant 5-1 win.The Korean team, however, fielded an inexperienced combination as part of preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. Debutants Lee Yunji and Oh Yejin featured alongside reigning world champion Kang Chaeyoung, while Olympic stars An San and Lim Sihyeon were absent.India survive shoot-off dramaEarlier in the day, the Indian women recovered from a slow start to beat Uzbekistan 6-2 in the opening round.Their toughest challenge came in the quarterfinals against Vietnam. After the scores were locked at 4-4, the contest went into a tense shoot-off.India responded brilliantly under pressure, dropping just two points from three arrows to clinch the shoot-off 28-25 and book a semifinal berth.Men crash out against BangladeshIn contrast, the Indian men’s recurve team of Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Yashdeep Bhoge endured a forgettable outing against Bangladesh.The trio failed to win a single set and struggled badly with consistency throughout the match.Bangladesh capitalised on India’s repeated errors and comfortably sealed a 6-2 victory, leaving the Indian men with an early exit from the competition.
