It was a mixed start to the Tokyo Olympics for the men's archers from India and as a result they will be seeded lower than they would like to be.
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It was a mixed start to the Tokyo Olympics for the men’s archers from India. Their qualification event started a few hours after the women’s one, in which Deepika Kumari finished ninth. Pravin Jadhav sprung a minor surprise when he finished slightly ahead of Atanu Das, with Tarundeep Rai the lowest ranked in the Indians. But it is still a case of what could have been. Jadhav finished the event at 31st, with Das at 35th and Rai at 37th.
The result means it will be Jadhav who teams with Kumari in the mixed team event. Most expected Das, who is married to Kumari, to partner his wife in the event given he is the best ranked among all the male archers.
The result also sees India seeded ninth in both the men’s and mixed teams event. As such, they will encounter tougher opposition earlier than they would have liked to in the medal event.
Unsurprisingly, South Korea are the top-seeded side in the men’s and mixed teams event. 17-year-old Korean Kim Je Doek finished atop the standings after the qualification round.
The Tokyo Olympics, which was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now up and running. The Games have not been without their share of controversies, however.
The event is happening despite plenty of protests from the Japanese people against it. And the angst is not without reason. Tokyo is currently in a state of emergency due to a rise in COVID cases.
The Games will by and large be played out in the absence of fans, always a major psychological blow to athletes. There’s also been a number of cases reported in the Olympic village itself.
Nevertheless, the Games remain an event that many around the world will be keen to watch. From July 23 to August 8, many will be hooked onto their televisions to follow the events.
Archery will be an event of interest for India. The country has produced a number of talented archers yet an Olympic medal has proven elusive.
Deepika Kumari is India’s sole female entrant in the sport this year. Perhaps the biggest disappointment for India will be the failure of the women’s archery team to qualify.
It was the women’s team who came close to winning a medal at Rio 2016 but they won’t be at Tokyo 2020.
The men’s side of things sees three archers – Atanu Das, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav – set to take part. There’s also the mixed team event, which can be seen as India’s best hope of a medal.
