Shanghai, May 19:
India’s compound men’s archery team today advanced to the final of the season’s first World Cup here.
The team comprising Abhishek Verma, Chinna Raju Srither and Amanjeet Singh made the final after getting the better of USA’s Reo Wilde, Steve Anderson and Braden Gellenthien 232-230 in a closely-fought semifinal.
Verma then coupled with Jyothi Surekha Vennam to enter the bronze medal play-off in mixed pair event.
However, Indian recurve archers, including Olympians Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari, cut a sorry figure as they bowed out of their respective events early.
Trailing by one point (116-117) after the second set, Indian compound men’s team bounced back to clinch the third 60-57 with all perfect 10s including one X (closest to centre). They then held on to their nerves in the decider to clinch the issue.
The fourth seeded India will take on 10th seeds Colombia in tomorrow’s summit clash.
In the mixed pair bronze medal match, Verma and Jyothi with take on the USA. The duo lost to second seeded Korea 152 -158 in the semis.
In the first major competition after last year’s Rio Olympics, Atanu and Deepika came up with poor performances in the recurve section.
Atanu made a quarterfinal exit after going down to Dutch debutant Steve Wijler, who later made a dream final by beating three-time Olympic medallist Im Dong Hyun in the semifinals.
Deepika also made an exit in the last-eight round after losing to Hayakawa Ren of Japan 1-7.
Recurve mixed combination of Atanu and Deepika made a quarterfinal exit after a 3-5 defeat to Russia.
Men’s recurve team lost to Japan 0-3 in the quarterfinals while women’s recurve team, seeded sixth, made a first round exit after being beaten 2-6 by USA.
USA later advanced to the final. (PTI)
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