After performing significantly well and securing the fourth position on July 25, the Women's Archery squad including Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur, and Deepika Kumari loses 0-6 to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at the invalids, Paris Olympics, on Sunday.
Their sub-par performance is accountable to the absence of their coach, Baek Woong Ki, from Korea, who was not given accreditation for the Olympics India, and the strong winds posing major challenges for girls.
“This was unexpected. They could not judge the wind properly, but you cannot have the same excuse every time as other archers also shot in similar conditions,” said their coach, Purnima Mahato.
The crapulent winds tackled Ankita and Deepika who shot at 10 each but were blown out after that. Bhajan Kaur, stayed consisted, though, with her three 10s, two 9s, and an 8, making her the most successful contender out of the three.
Kaur pushed India with a promising start by hitting 10 in the first set however, Ankita and Deepika each hit at 7 and gave a nudge to the Dutch team to win the opening set by 52-51.
Appearing brittle and edgy in the beginning of the second set, Ankita and Bhajan scored 10 each, leading India two points ahead of their Dutch counterparts, halfway through the second set.
But, as the winds would have it they conceded their second set by 54-49 as Ankit and Deepika shot 6 each on their second shots.
This performance was laid further back in the third set when Ankita started with a 4 in the opening shot. The Dutch snatched the opportunity to showcase a powerful rendition of two 10s and thence, won the final set by 53-48 standing tall in the quarterfinals.
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