Deepika Kumari, a seasoned archer from India, saw her Olympic dreams come to an end in the quarterfinals of the women’s individual archery event at the Paris Olympics. She faced a tough defeat against Nam Suhyeon of Korea, losing 4-6 in a closely contested match. This marked the end of India’s journey in the competition.
Earlier in the day, Deepika had secured her place in the quarterfinals by overcoming Germany’s Michelle Kroppen with a score of 6-4. However, she was unable to replicate that success against the young Korean archer. In April, Deepika had triumphed over Nam in a semifinal encounter at the Shanghai World Cup, earning a silver medal. But the Indian veteran couldn’t deliver a similar performance at this crucial Olympic stage.
The match was a tight battle from the start, with the score tied at 4-4 after four sets. Nam’s unwavering precision proved to be the deciding factor, as she secured victory in the fifth set, earning her a spot in the semifinals.
Deepika, despite facing criticism for her performance in the team event, struggled to maintain consistency throughout the match. Her scores of six and seven in the second and fourth sets, respectively, proved to be significant setbacks. The 30-year-old Indian scored 28-26 in the first set, earning two points. She followed up with scores of 10, 6, and 9, but Nam leveled the match by winning the second set 28-25. Deepika regained the lead by taking the third set 29-28 with two 10s. However, she scored 10, 7, and 10 in the fourth set, losing it 27-29. In the decisive fifth set, Deepika scored three consecutive 9s, but the Korean sealed the victory with scores of 10, 9, and 10.
