Dhaka: Star archers Deepika Kumari and Dhiraj Bommadevara produced brilliant comebacks after early setbacks, ensuring India a strong medal haul in the Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka on Tuesday. Both archers, who had failed to make the team events after underwhelming qualification rounds, rediscovered their touch in the individual eliminations to storm into the semifinals.
Olympian Deepika Kumari, the top-ranked Indian, showcased her trademark composure and precision to defeat Lee Gahyun of Korea — the Shanghai World Cup gold medallist — 7-3, sealing a spot in the semifinals. Deepika will now face her compatriot Bhakat, ensuring India at least one finalist in the women’s recurve event.
Joining her in the last-four stage were Ankita Bhakat and Sangeeta, who scripted notable upsets of their own. Ankita stunned top seed and former world champion Jang Minhee of Korea 6-4, while Sangeeta cruised past Iran’s Zare Reyhane 7-1 to book a semifinal clash against Korea’s Nam Suhyeon.
With Deepika, Ankita, and Sangeeta all advancing, India now stands on the verge of a historic clean sweep in the women’s recurve individual category.
In the men’s section, Dhiraj Bommadevara redeemed himself after a poor qualification performance, edging past Uzbekistan’s Amirkhon Sadikov in a tense shoot-off. Locked 5-5 after four sets, both archers shot 10s in the decider, but Dhiraj’s arrow landed closer to the centre, sealing his passage into the semifinals. He will next face Korea’s Jang Chaehwan. (IANS)
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