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The Indian men's archery team, composed of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav, is determined to break India's Olympic medal drought in the sport. While India has achieved remarkable success in archery at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, with a combined total of 27 medals, including five golds, the elusive Olympic medal remains out of reach. This year, the team aims to change that narrative, starting with their quarterfinal matchup against either Colombia or Turkey in the men's team event at the Paris Olympics.
The Indian trio secured their place in the quarterfinals by finishing third in the ranking round, scoring a total of 2013 points. They were edged out by South Korea (2049 points) and France (2025 points), with China finishing fourth at 1998 points. The top four teams, including India, have all qualified directly for the quarterfinals.
On the other hand, the women's team, consisting of Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari, and Ankita Bhakat, also qualified for the quarterfinals, finishing fourth with 1983 points. South Korea topped the rankings with 2046 points, followed by China (1996) and Mexico (1986). However, the women's team faced a disappointing defeat in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands, losing 6-0. The Dutch team proved too strong, leaving the Indian women's hopes shattered.
Deepika Kumari, a former world number one and a prominent medal contender, had her fourth Olympic appearance marred by this defeat. While she showed glimpses of brilliance in previous events, she couldn't maintain her usual consistency in the team event. The men's team, however, still has an opportunity to make history and secure a team medal. A medal would be a fitting tribute to the dedication and perseverance of Tarundeep, a 40-year-old veteran who has been competing in archery since the 2004 Athens Olympics. His best performance at the Olympics was a quarterfinal finish with the men's recurve team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
All eyes are now on the men's team as they prepare to take on their opponents in the quarterfinals. A medal would be a significant achievement for Indian archery and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team. With the individual events yet to start, the Indian contingent is hoping for a strong showing in both team and individual competitions to make their mark on the Olympic stage.
Source: Can men's archery team end India's Olympics jinx with a medal at Paris?