Archery: After several misses,a hit

The team comprising of Rimil Buriuly,L Bombayla Devi and Deepika Kumari thrashed the Chinese team 201-186 to bag India’s first team gold medal in over two years. The last time that a team topped the podium was in Shanghai in 2011 when Chekrovolu Swuro,Bombayla and Deepika beat Italy’s team.

Sunday’s achievement betters the previous win as the Indian team were always going to be the underdogs when facing the Chinese team that boasted of Xu Jing and Cheng Ming,part of the trio that won the team silver at the London Olympics,and Cui Yuanyuan,who bagged the individual gold medal early this year in the World Cup in Antalya,Turkey. Also,in the last ten years,China leads the head-to-head 7-4 against India in the eleven times that these teams have met in the knock-out stages.

Apart from the formidable opponents,who were also the top seed,Indians faced other familiar foes — the wind and few bouts of nerves,which have previously brought many campaigns to nought. But on Sunday,it was a different story as the Chinese women had to play catch-up right from the time the first arrow was shot. China’s opening shot was a zero as it failed to hit the target face. After that,the Indians were always comfortably in front. After the end of the first three sets,the Indians led by 13 points and the win was set up by Deepika’s accuracy in finding the 10s.

She hit four 10s out of the eight arrows she shot. Earlier,Indians who finished behind Chinese in the qualification rounds beat Venezuela 224- 201 in the quarter-finals and edged the USA team USA 216-211 to make the final cut. Earlier,the Indians finished behind China in the qualification rounds but went on to beat Venezuela 224- 201 in the quarter-finals and edge USA 216-211 to make the finals.

“The wind was very hard to counter. To shoot the way these girls did was commendable,” Indian coach Ravi Shankar told The Indian Express. Before last six arrows,the Indians led 147 to 134,evenutally wrapping up an emphatic victory,ahead by 15 points.

Also late on Sunday,Deepika,along side teammate Atanu Das,is up for another medal,when they take on Mexican team of Olympic silver medallist Aida Roman and Juan René Serrano in the bronze medal play-off in mixed team event.

Men win compound bronze

India clinched a bronze medal in the compound men’s team event to open their account in the Archery World Cup Stage 3 being held in Medellin,Colombia. According to information received here,Rajat Chouhan,Sandeep Kumar and Ratan Singh Khuraijam overcame a stiff resistance from the hosts to win 215-210 en route to the bronze medal Saturday.

India has another medal chance in the recurve mixed team bronze play-off where Atanu Das and Deepika will fight it out against the Mexicans.

In compound bronze medal play-off held under difficult windy conditions,the Indians were up against the homefavourites Juan Carlos Carrasquilla,Camilo Andres Cardona and and José Carlos Ospina as there was a huge crowd cheering for the Colombian trio.

But the Indian threesome began solidly out of the gate to take a 52-50 lead in the first end. The Colombians made a comeback in the second end with two perfect 10s for a cumulative 54 against Indians’ 50 to take the lead 104-102.

Fresh from a mixed silver medal in the last World Cup in Antalya,Rajasthan lad Chouhan inspired the team to four perfect 10s en route to 56 as India snatched the lead 158-156 at the penultimate round. The Indians did not look back as the trio clinched the issue easily shooting 57 to deny the Colombians their first World Cup medal in the compound men’s category.

The French men’s team won their first gold medal since 2008,while the US women defeated Colombia in a rematch of the Antalya World Cup.