Asian Games: Das-Ankita fights back to ousts Malaysia; Indian archers make quarters in 4 events
As of now, India are in medal contention in four events with the top-seeded women's team compound archers getting a bye into the quarters.
Atanu Das of India in action (Reuters)
HANGZHOU: The Indian recurve mixed pair archery duo of Atanu Das and Ankita Bhakat showed tenacity to defeat Malaysia in a three-setter and sail into the quarterfinals at the Asian Games here on Monday.
Indian archers stormed into the last-eight in three team events -- recurve mixed, compound mixed, compound men's team -- when the elimination round got underway at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre here.
As of now, India are in medal contention in four events with the top-seeded women's team compound archers getting a bye into the quarters.
The fifth seeded Indian duo of Das and Ankita rallied to beat the Malaysian team of Syaqiera Binti Mashayikh, Muhamad Zarif Syahir Bin Zolkepeli 6-2 (39-38, 37-36, 39-33). The Malaysia duo enjoyed a 2-0 lead with three 10s including one X in the first set.
But the experienced Indian duo bounced back with two 10s and went on to level as the Malaysians crumbled under pressure.
The Malaysians hit the red-ring (8) once and went on to lose the second by a slender one-point margin.
There was more misery in store for the Malaysians who shot into the red ring thrice (8-8-8), while Das-Ankita drilled in three perfect 10s en route to a six-point win in the third set.
The Indian pair sealed the issue with three more 10s in the fourth set and set up a last-eight clash against fourth-seeded Indonesians.
Should they overcome the Indonesian challenge, the Indians may run into the top-seeded Koreans in a potential semifinal clash in an Olympic-qualifying event.
There are six quota spots available from the Asian Games -- to the recurve mixed team winner, as well as another two archers ranked highly in the individual events.
In the compound mixed team, the top-seeded Indian duo of Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam dropped just one point from 16 arrows to eliminate UAE's Amna Alawadhi and Mohammed Binamro 159-151.
The duo will take on formidable Malaysia (No 8 seed) in the quarters and thereafter they have an easy draw till the final.
In the compound men's team event, the second-seeded Indians trio of Ojas, Abhishek Verma, and Prathamesh Jawkar thrashed 15th-seed Singapore (Woon Teng NG, Lee Chung Hee Alan, Jun Hui Goh) 235-219.
The Indian triumvirate had a cautious start and had four 10s to take 58-55 lead.
But the Indians came on their own from the second end onwards and dropped just three points to rout their rivals by a 16-point margin.
The compound men's team is now pitted against lower-ranked Bhutan in the quarters and will have a potential semifinal clash against third-seeded Chinese Taipei.
The top-seeded Indian women's compound team of Jyothi, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur, who got a bye into the quarters, will open its campaign against ninth-seeded Hong Kong who ousted Bangladesh 225-218.