World Cup Stage-3: Dhiraj, Ankita reach semifinals in individual recurve events

Dhiraj set up a semifinal clash with Korea’s Olympic and World Champion Kim Woojin, while Ankita will face China’s top-ranked Yang Xiaolei.

File Photo: Ankita will face China’s top ranked Yang Xiaolei in semis. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

B. Dhiraj and Ankita Bhakat remained in the medal hunt after reaching the men’s and women’s individual recurve events semifinals, respectively, in the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Antalya, Turkey, on Friday.

Dhiraj beat Bangladesh’s Mohammed Sagor Islam 6-0, Indonesia’s Riau Salsabilla 7-1, Colombia’s Santiago Arango 6-4, and Germany’s Jonathon Vetter 7-3 to set up a semifinal clash with Korea’s Olympic and World Champion Kim Woojin.

Pravin Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai exited in the first round.

READ | Indian recurve archery teams all but qualify for Paris Olympics

Ankita got past Iran’s Mobina Fallah 6-4, Ukraine’s Veronika Marchenko 7-1, China’s Li Jiaman 6-5 (shoot-off: 9-8) and Korea’s Jeon Hunyoung 6-4. Ankita will face China’s top-ranked Yang Xiaolei.

Deepika Kumari lost to Yang 6-5 (10-8) in the third round. Bhajan Kaur suffered defeat in the second round.

The third-ranked Indian recurve mixed team, comprising Bhajan and Dhiraj, received a bye and defeated Great Britain 5-1 and Brazil 5-1 before being beaten 5-3 by Korea in the semifinals. India will take on Mexico in the bronze medal match on Sunday.

In the compound mixed team event, the No. 1 Indian duo of V. Jyothi Surekha and Priyansh got a bye and beat Estonia 158-156 before going down to Italy 156-154.