PHUKET: A second string Indian team has assured six medals, primarily in the compound category at the ongoing Asia Cup Archery Championship on Thursday.
However India’s male recurve archers were once again a big letdown with not a single one of them able to reach the individual medal round.
The Indians however made amends in the team events advancing into the final in both the men’s and women’s sections.
The high point of the day came in the compound section where India remained in line for a clean sweep.
India have sent their fringe archers for the tournament which already has lost some sheen after pull-out from South Korea, China, Japan and Chinese Taipei.
National champion Parth Salunkhe, who earned the top seed, and sixth seed Dhiraj B of the Services made first round exits.
Maharashtra lad Salunkhe put up a brave fight before losing to Malaysia’s Muhamad Zarif Syahiir Zolkepeli 4-6 (28-29, 27-27, 27-28, 28-28, 26-26).
Dhiraj on other hand lost out in one-sided show 1-7 (27-28, 28-28, 26-29, 24-15).
Women’s top seed Ridhi Phor and 10th seed Laxmi Hembrom also suffered first round exits.
Ridhi lost to her Bangladeshi rival Diya Siddhique 4-6 (27-28, 27-24, 29-24, 25-27, 25-28), while Laxmi squandered a 4-0 lead to be eliminated in the shootoff 5-6 (28-25, 25-24, 25-26, 25-25, 25-28 T: 8-9).
It was fourth seed Tisha Punia who gave India the ray of hope in the recurve women’s individual event setting up a bronze-playoff against Malaysia’s Naa Fozi.
The men’s trio of Salunkhe, Dhiraj and Rahul Kumar Nagarwal set up a final clash against Kazakhstan.
In a small field of seven teams, the top seeded India got a first round bye, while in the next round (semifinal) they overcame their opponents from Malaysia 5-1 (58-58, 54-49, 58-56).
It was just a four-team affair in the recurve women’s team event as the top seeded India featuring Ridhi, Tisha and Tanisha Verma ousted hosts Thailand 6-2 (56-57, 53-50, 50-39, 55-46) to set up a gold medal clash against Bangladesh.
In an eight-member field in the compound event, second seed Rishabh Yadav defeated Bangladesh’s Nawaz Ahmed Rakib (148-144) and Iranian Sayed Kowsar (148-145) to enter the summit clash.
He will face fourth seed Mohammadsaleh Palizban of Iran for the gold medal battle.
India will also hope for a bronze in the compound men individual event where Prathamesh Jawkar will take on Kowsar.
It will be an all-Indian affair in the compound women’s individual event where Parneet Kaur will clash against her teammate Sakshi Chaudhary.
Parneet, who finished a lowly 13th in the qualifications, also made the final in the compound women’s individual.
She ousted Viktoriya of Kazakhstan (145-141) and Geesa Bybordy of Iran (146=142) to set up a gold medals clash against second seed Sakshi started off beating Kosar Khoshnoudikia of Iran in a tie breaker 10-9 after they were locked 144-all.
In the semi-final, she ousted local rival Kanoknapus Kaewchomphu 143-139.
India also made finals in the men’s and women’s compound team events.
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