India’s recurve archery team secured a spot in the Paris Olympics, despite a disappointing performance at the World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya, Turkey. While the team failed to win a medal, they have virtually qualified for the Games based on their world rankings. The Indian women’s team finished fourth, while the men’s team reached the last 16 before falling to the Netherlands in the pre-quarterfinals.
The team’s qualification is a result of a new rule that allows the top two countries not yet qualified to secure Olympic berths based on their rankings. The Indian men’s team currently ranks second in the world, behind South Korea who have already qualified. The women’s team is ranked eighth, with the top seven countries having secured their Olympic quotas.
The World Cup Stage 3 presented the final opportunity for non-qualified nations to secure a spot based on rankings. India’s team quotas will allow them to compete in all five events – men’s and women’s team, individual, and mixed team events – at the Paris Games.
The Indian women’s team, comprising Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari, and Ankita Bhakat, narrowly missed out on securing a medal. They defeated Ukraine in the quarter-finals but lost to the host nation, France, in a closely contested semi-final. A disappointing performance in the bronze medal play-offs saw them lose to Japan in straight sets.
The men’s team, consisting of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav, fell to the Netherlands in the pre-quarterfinals. Despite the disappointing performance at the World Cup, the Indian recurve archery team can now look forward to competing at the Paris Olympics with confidence, having secured their qualification through their strong world rankings.
