Hangzhou: The Indian men’s recurve team won the silver medal while the women bagged a bronze in the Asian Games 2023 archery events in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Friday.
It was the penultimate day of archery competitions at the Asian Games 2023. Individual medal matches are scheduled for Saturday.
The Indian men’s recurve team of Olympian Atanu Das, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Tushar Shelke fell short against the Republic of Korea in the final to settle for the silver medal. The Indian trio lost the gold medal match 5-1 to the Korean team consisting of Lee Wooseok, Oh Jinhyek and Kim Je Deok.
All three Koreans were part of the gold medal-winning Korean team at the archery world championships in Berlin earlier this year. Oh Jinhyek and Kim Je Deok were also part of the champion men’s recurve team from Tokyo 2020.
Enroute to the final, the Indian team accounted for Bangladesh 4-2 in the semi-finals after beating Mongolia 5-4 in the quarter-finals. On Monday, the Indian trio had blanked Hong Kong 6-0 in the round of 16.
Indonesia, meanwhile, defeated Bangladesh 6-0 to clinch the bronze medal.
The Indian women’s recurve team comprising Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur and Simranjeet Kaur defeated the Vietnamese team of Do Thi Anh Nguyet, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhi and Phuong Thao Hoang 6-2 to win the bronze medal.
The Indian trio entered the bronze medal match after losing 6-2 to the Republic of Korea in the semi-finals.
Earlier on Friday, the Indian team beat Japan 6-2 in the quarter-finals to seal a spot in the last four. India had beaten Thailand 5-1 in the pre-quarterfinals on Monday.
South Korea bagged the gold medal with a 5-3 win over hosts China in the final.
On Saturday, Jyothi Surekha Vennam will be in action in the women’s individual compound gold medal match against South Korea's Chaewon So, Olympics.com reported.
The 27-year-old Jyothi Surekha Vennam has already won two gold medals in the compound mixed team and women’s compound team events at the Hangzhou Games.
Ojas Pravin Deotale will face off with compatriot Abhishek Verma for the gold medal in an all-Indian men's compound individual final tomorrow. (UNI)