Olympics Archery: Deepika Kumari, Pravin Jadhav lose in mixed team quarterfinals at Tokyo

The ninth-ranked mixed team, comprising Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav, lost to top-slotted South Korea 6-2 in a quarterfinal contest at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

Deepika Kumari takes a shot during the mixed team pre-quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei as Pravin Jadhav watches.

Indian archers crumbled under pressure as the ninth-ranked mixed team, comprising Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav, lost to top-slotted South Korea 6-2 in a quarterfinal contest at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

The formidable Korean side, consisting of San An and Je Deok Kim, took the first two sets with scores of 35-32 and 38-37 and established a 4-0 lead.

The Indians gave a close fight in the second set as Jadhav shot two 10s and Deepika an 8 and a 9 before losing narrowly.

However, they fought back to win the next set. Interestingly, India gathered an identical 37, including Jadhav’s 9 and 10 and Deepika’s two 9s, and reduced the margin to 4-2.

 

The Koreans could not get a 10 for the first time and managed 35 points in the third set. Korea rode on a couple of 10s from Kim to beat India 36-33 in the fourth set and seal the match.

An under-pressure Jadhav produced his worst shot, a 6, to practically end India’s challenge.

Winning start

Earlier in the morning, Jadhav and Deepika rallied to beat the Chinese Taipei pair of Chih-Chun Tang and Chia-En Lin 5-3 in a last-16 match. This was the first mixed team elimination contest in the Olympics history.

After losing the first set, the Indians shared points in the second and won the third to make it 3-3.

In the next set, when India was trailing by two points, Jadhav and Deepika scored a 10 apiece to win the set 37-36 and the contest 5-3.

Jadhav, Atanu Das and Tarundeep Rai will compete in men’s team and individual events. Deepika, the lone Indian woman archer to qualify for Tokyo Olympics, will take part in the women’s individual event.