In a spectacular display of skill and determination, Indian archers have stormed into the quarterfinals in all six team events at the Asian Games. The athletes exhibited unwavering prowess as they navigated through five team elimination rounds, dropping just one set en route to their respective quarterfinal matches.
India's women's compound team earned a direct entry to the quarters by clinching the top spot in the qualifications.
The journey commenced with the top-seeded compound mixed team of Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam, who put on a flawless performance, losing just one point out of 16 arrows to dispatch UAE's Amna Alawadhi and Mohammed Binamro with a score of 159-151.
In the upcoming quarterfinals, this formidable duo is set to face off against Malaysia, the eighth seed, and looks poised for a favorable draw leading to the finals.
Next up, the Indian recurve mixed pair, Atanu Das and Ankita Bhakat, showcased their resilience by overcoming an initial set deficit to secure victory against Malaysia in a thrilling three-set match.
Seeded fifth, Das and Ankita rallied to defeat the Malaysian team of Syaqiera Binti Mashayikh and Muhamad Zarif Syahir Bin Zolkepeli 6-2 (39-38, 37-36, 39-33). Although the Malaysians enjoyed a 2-0 lead with three 10s, the experienced Indian duo made a remarkable comeback, eventually clinching the win.
In the third set, the Malaysians struggled with three shots into the red ring (8-8-8), while Das and Ankita delivered three perfect 10s, securing a six-point victory. The Indian pair sealed their triumph with three more 10s in the fourth set, setting up a quarterfinal clash against the fourth-seeded Indonesians.
Should they prevail against the Indonesian challenge, the Indians may face the top-seeded Koreans in a potentially thrilling semifinal showdown, with an Olympic-qualifying spot at stake.
The Asian Games offer six quota spots, including the recurve mixed team winners and two high-ranking archers in individual events.
In the compound men's team event, the second-seeded Indian trio of Ojas, Abhishek Verma, and Prathamesh Jawkar delivered an impressive performance, defeating the 15th seed Singapore team (Woon Teng NG, Lee Chung Hee Alan, Jun Hui Goh) with a score of 235-219.
The Indian trio started cautiously but gained momentum, dropping just three points from the second end onwards and securing a commanding 16-point lead.
In the quarterfinals, the compound men's team is set to face Bhutan, a lower-ranked opponent, and could potentially meet the third-seeded Chinese Taipei in the semifinals.
The top-seeded Indian women's compound team comprising Jyothi, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur, who received a bye into the quarters, will commence their campaign against the ninth-seeded Hong Kong team, which eliminated Bangladesh with a score of 225-218.
The Indian men's recurve team, featuring Das, Dhiraj, and Tushar Shelke, maintained their dominance, securing a convincing 6-0 victory against Hong Kong's Kwok Yin Chai, Law Kwun Pok Lucien, and Wn Chun Kit in a lopsided contest.
Seeded third, the Indian men's recurve team is scheduled to face Mongolia (No 11) in the quarterfinals, benefiting from a favorable draw leading to the final, where Korea and Japan loom as potential challengers.
Additionally, the women's recurve team of Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur, and Simranjeet Kaur, considered underdogs, showcased their mettle by defeating the 12th-seeded Thailand team with a score of 5-1 (49-47, 54-54, 55-54). They are now geared up for a challenging quarterfinal match against fourth-seeded Japan.
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