Hangzhou 2022 APG Archery: China favourite in recurve, wheelchair events; India eye glory in compound events

New Delhi: High-quality action is on the cards when the archery competition get underway at the at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games from October 23 to 28.

As many as 133 archers from 23 nations will be vying for glory over six days with 15 gold medals will be at stake at the Fuyang Shooting and Archery range in Hangzhou.

Whilst the home nation archers are expected to rule the shooting field, some old rivalries including Islamic Republic of Iran’s Zahra Nemati vs. China’s Wu Chunyan in women’s individual recurve W1 competition will be on display.

At the Pilsen 2023 World Archery Para Championships three months ago, China finished on top with seven gold medals and the hosts will hope to continue the momentum in Hangzhou.

For Chunyan, the triple world champion in Pilsen 2023, it will be her only chance to put up a great show in front of her home fans and she will be hoping of pull off a golden show making the most of home advantage.

Though the Chinese will have a hard job with Nemati whose sights will have set on gold – she is a double Paralympic gold medallist is arguably the most popular and successful female Paralympian to come from Iran.

Others who are expected to make a mark in recurve events are world champions Wu Yang and Zhao Lixue.

Meanwhile, Chen Minyi and Zhang Tianxin, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champions in mixed W1 events, should be aiming to top in the women’s doubles and men’s doubles W1 events as they did at the Pilsen 2023 Worlds.

Minyi will be joined by W1 women’s champion Zhang Lu, while Tianxin will be partnering Han Guifei for men’s W1 doubles.

There are a few new faces who will be eager to continue their good run at Hangzhou 2022 after surprising everyone in compound events at Pilsen 2023.

Sheetal Devi, the Indian armless female archer who scripted history at the Pilsen 2023 Worlds winning the silver medal, is one among them who would be eager to make a mark in Hangzhou with names like Sarita and Rakesh Kumar also keen to repeat their Worlds gold medal show in the compound open mixed team event.

Singapore’s Nur Syahidah Alim would be also one to watch out as the former world champion will be striving to return to winning ways in major competitions.

Among others, Iranians Alisina Manshaezadeh and Hadi Nori are expected to make a mark in compound men open doubles events.

The Asian Para Games open on October 22 and run until the 28th.

–IANS