Final Olympic qualifier: Indian women among the favourites for team quota

The Indian team will be among the front-runners to win a women's team quota place in the final archery Olympic qualifier in Paris, France.

India's Deepika Kumari. - GETTY IMAGES

India is one of the favourites to win a women’s team quota place in the last Olympics archery qualifier in Paris, France, on Sunday.

The Indian side – comprising two-time Olympian Deepika Kumari and her promising Jharkhand mates Komalika Bari and Ankita Bhakat – is considered a front-runner, along with Mexico, among 28 countries to finish within the top-three and earn a team quota place.

The trio, which landed a gold medal in World Cup Stage-1 in Guatemala in April, will look forward to repeating its performance here. A team quota will ensure the participation of three women in the Tokyo Games.

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So far, Deepika has bagged an individual quota place apart from the team slot booked by the Indian men.

The Indian women, who left for France on June 5, completed a 10-day a quarantine-cum-training stint at the Vichy Sports Complex before moving in here for the qualifier, which will be followed by the World Cup Stage-3.

Georgia, Colombia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Turkey are the other strong sides which can secure a team quota in the Olympics. Belarus, China, Chinese Taipei, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Ukraine have already ensured their spots in the Olympics.