Indian Women’s Archery Team Suffers Quarterfinal Heartbreak at Paris Olympics
The Indian women’s archery team’s Olympic dreams were shattered on Sunday as they succumbed to a disappointing 0-6 defeat against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics. The trio of Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur, and Deepika Kumari failed to live up to expectations, delivering a lackluster performance that resulted in their elimination.
In the first set, India lost 51-52, setting the tone for a challenging match. Ankita and Deepika struggled to find their rhythm, scoring below par. The second set proved equally disappointing, with India losing 49-54. The Dutch team, on the other hand, displayed remarkable consistency and precision, putting pressure on the Indian archers.
The third and final set was a nail-biter, with both teams tied at 48-48. However, the Netherlands managed to pull ahead in the final arrows, securing a 53-48 victory and sealing India’s fate.
In archery, the highest score by a team in a set is awarded two set points, while a draw gets one set point each. India’s inability to secure even a single set point highlighted their struggles throughout the match.
The Indian team had entered the quarterfinals with high hopes after finishing fourth in the qualification round. However, their performance in the knockout stage fell well short of expectations. Ankita and Deepika, in particular, failed to deliver the kind of scores that were required to challenge the Dutch team.
The defeat marks a disappointing end to India’s archery campaign at the Paris Olympics. The team had hoped to build on their success at the previous Games, where they won a silver medal in the women’s team event. However, their performance in Paris suggests that they need to reassess their strategies and training methods if they want to compete with the world’s best.
