Recurve archers returned empty-handed to take some sheen off their spectacular show in non-Olympic compound section, as India finished second behind Korea with two gold and one bronze medals in the World Cup Stage 2, on Sunday.
Making a comeback after skipping the season-opener Antalya leg, recurve heavyweights Korea grabbed four gold, two silver and one bronze in the Olympic discipline to top the standings with 11 medals.
Rising Indian recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara, who bagged a maiden World Cup bronze in Antalya last month was the only hope after the seasoned duo of Tarundeep Rai and Atanu Das and youngster Neeraj Chauhan made first round exits.
But Korea once again became the thorn in India’s recurve campaign, as the Army man lost out to Oh Jin Hokey 0-6 (29-30, 28-29, 29-30) in straight sets to make a pre-quarterfinal exit.
In the recurve mixed team event too India were eliminated in the last-16 after the duo of Dhiraj and Simranjeet Kaur squandered a first set lead to go down to their Indonesian rivals 2-6 (39-35, 37-39, 37-38, 34-35).
That none of the recurve archers could even make the medal round was a grim reality check for the national federation with just one year left for the Paris Olympics and four months for the Asian Games.
With the Asian Games featuring both the recurve and compound sections, the compound archers show was the only saving grace.
India bagged all their three medals in the compound section, with Prathamesh Jawkar and Avneet Kaur winning the individual gold and bronze respectively. Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam bagged the mixed team gold.
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