2024-07-30 03:29:30
Paris: After the women’s team, the disappointing performance of the Indian men’s team also continued in the Olympics, in which the trio of experienced Tarundeep Rai, Dheeraj Bommadevara and Praveen Jadhav were knocked out of the competition after losing 2-6 to Turkey in the quarter-finals here on Monday. With the team’s historic victory over Korea in the World Cup final and Dheeraj’s victory over Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Mauro Nespoli, the Indian archers arrived here with increased confidence and as the second-ranked team in the world rankings. However, this team once again could not withstand the pressure of the Olympics and was knocked out of the quarter-finals. The Indian team lost this match 53-57, 52-55, 55-54, 54-58. During this, the team could score a maximum of 55 points in the third set, which is considered average in top level archery competitions.
Earlier, the women’s trio of Bhajan Kaur, Ankita Bhakat and Deepika Kumari were knocked out by the Netherlands by a 6-0 margin. The women’s team was able to score more than 50 only once. In the women’s event, experienced Deepika and Ankita lagged badly, while India’s number one archer Dheeraj failed on Monday. The bronze medalist in the World Cup last month finished third in the qualification with 681 out of 720 points. He struggled in the quarter-finals, scoring only 10 points twice and hitting seven points twice.
Four-time Olympian Tarundeep, who made his debut at Athens 2004, also failed to make the most of his experience and scored only one 10. While Dheeraj scored 69 out of his quota of 80 points, Tarundeep scored a disappointing 70. Jadhav, who is considered the weaker of the two in the team, was the most impressive and conceded only five points. He hit four 10-point shots including two Xs (close to the centre).
India also lost a great opportunity to win a medal. The team had to win only two matches to win the medal and was unlikely to face Korea before the final. The lower ranked team Turkey, which reached the quarter-finals after beating Colombia in a shoot-off, included reigning Olympic and world champion Mete Gajoz, 21-year-old Berkim Tumer and 20-year-old Abdullah Yilderimis. Both the young players supported Gajoz well.