Seasoned Indian archer Rakesh Kumar made a strong start to his Paralympic campaign, securing a 136-131 victory over Senegal’s Aliou Drame in the compound men’s open category pre-quarterfinals on Friday. The fifth-seeded Rakesh will now face Indonesia’s Ken Swagumilang (12th seed) for a place in the quarterfinals.
Rakesh, who won a silver medal at the Asian Para Games but was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, began the match with a perfect 10 in the first end, giving him a three-point lead. Aliou took the second end by a single point, but Rakesh maintained his lead and extended it by five points in the third end with two more 10s.
The Indian archer continued his dominance, winning the fourth end to establish a six-point lead. Aliou managed to win the final end by three arrows, dropping just one point, but Rakesh’s substantial lead ensured his progression to the last 16.
Another Indian archer, Shyam Sunder Swami, who was seeded 15th in the qualification round, will begin his campaign later in the day against Comsan Singpirom of Thailand.
Rakesh’s victory marks a promising start for India’s archery contingent at the Paralympics. The experienced archer will be aiming to improve on his performance in Tokyo and secure a medal for his country.
