Archery WC: Ace archer Deepika pockets silver in Shanghai; India finish campaign with 8 medals

Shanghai: Ace Indian archer Deepika Kumari bagged a silver medal in the women’s individual recurve event at the 2024 Archery World Cup Stage 1 after losing to world no 2 Korean Lim Sih-yeon in the summit clash, here on Sunday.

The former world number one Indian suffered a 0-6 (26-27, 27-29, 27-28) loss against top seed Lim to take the second spot on the podium.

Deepika battled up from the 30th seed, upsetting number six qualifier Jeon Hunyoung Jeon in the quarterfinals to make a final four. She defeated the Korean debutant Nam Suhyeon in the semifinal to set up a final with Lim.

The 29-year-old missed the Indian team in 2023 after becoming a mother in late 2022. Her early impact on this return to the international arena this week was minimal, with an underwhelming qualifying and the team taking an early exit. However, she excelled in the individual event and took second place on the podium.

With Deepika’s silver, India finished its campaign with five gold, two silver and a bronze in the tournament.

Earlier in the day, the Indian men’s recurve team of Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Pravin Jadhav achieved a remarkable victory by stunning the reigning Olympic champion South Korea to clinch a gold medal.

India registered a 5-1 (57-57, 57-55, 55-53) win without dropping a set against the Koran rivals to clinch the top spot on the podium in the season opener.

Later, the recurve mixed team of Ankita Bhakat and Bommadevara pocketed a bronze medal after beating Mexico 6-0 in the third-place playoff.

With Deepika’s silver, India finished the campaign with five gold, two silver and a bronze.

On Saturday, Indian compound archers were all guns blazing as they swept the team events, winning gold in men’s, women’s and mixed-team events.

Meanwhile, Jyothi Surekha Vennam won the gold medal in the women’s individual compound category after beating Andrea Becerra 146(9*)-146(9) of Mexico to win her third gold at World Archery.

The win also saw Jyothi Surekha Vennam qualified for the Archery World Cup Final scheduled in Tlaxcala, Mexico in October.

Moreover, Priyansh lost to former World Champion Nico Wiener 147-150 in his debut World Cup final and bagged a silver medal in the men’s individual compound event.

In another Sunday’s action, former world number and ace Indian recurve archer Deepika Kumari will play her women’s recurve individual semifinal against Korean Nam Suhyeon.

–IANS