Okazaki, Oct 2 (IANS) India duo Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Mohod bagged a silver medal in the mixed recurve team event after losing to China in the final here at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Friday.
With a gold medal win, China also secured the LA 2028 Olympic quota, while India missed out on an Olympic quota after finishing second on the podium.
This is India’s second medal in recurve archery, as the women’s team clinched its first-ever gold at the Asian Games earlier this morning after beating 10-time champions South Korea in their first-ever final appearance.
In the mixed team final, India began with scores of 9 and 8, while China replied with 10 and 8. Dhiraj then scored 7, but Kumkum hit 10. China responded with two 10s, securing the set and establishing an early lead of 2-0.
In the second set, Dhiraj and Kumkum each scored 8 and 9, while the Chinese team recorded scores of 9 and 8. Kumkum then scored 8, but Dhiraj managed to hit the centre of the target. China responded with two 10s, further extending their lead to 4-0.
In the third set, Kumkum scored 8 while Dhiraj hit the centre of the target. China responded with scores of 9 and 10, which added pressure on India. Kumkum eventually secured a 10, and Dhiraj followed with a score of 9. China had a 10 but followed up 7, handing India the set as the scores were 4-2.
In the fourth set, India began with two scores of 9, while China recorded an 8 and a 10. Kumkum and Dhiraj then shot scores of 10 and 9, respectively. China then matched the total of India’s last two arrows as Zhu scored a 9, while Li achieved a 10, resulting in a tie for the set at 37-37, which was sufficient for them to secure the gold medal.
Earleir, Dhiraj and Kumkum fought back from 3-1 down to beat Japan 5-3 in the semi-final to become the first Indian pair to reach the Asian Games recurve mixed team final.
Japan took the opening set 38-37, and the second ended tied at 36-36 before India won the third 39-35 and the fourth 37-35.
Overall, this is India’s sixth medal in archery, including four gold, silver and a bronze.
India enjoyed its most successful Asian Games archery campaign in Hangzhou 2023, winning a record nine medals – five gold, two silver and two bronze. The compound archers swept all five gold medals on offer, while the recurve teams contributed a silver and a bronze medals.
With the men’s recurve team event, along with the men’s and women’s individual recurve events, yet to begin, India is most likely to match their nine-medal haul from the 2023 edition.
–IANS
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