Harpal Singh Bedi / Jakarta
Indian archers’ challenge in the individual recurve events at the Asian Games ended without much ado as their last hope Atanu Das went down to Indonesia’s Agata Selsebilla 3-7 in the quarter finals here on Thrusday evening.
Earlier fancied Deepika Kumari failed to break the jinx with multi sports events as she was eliminated by Chinese Taipei’s Chien-Ying Lei 3-7.
Before that Promila Daimary was shown the exit door as she lost 2-6 to Mongolia’s Urantungalag Bishindee in the second round.
#AsianGames2018 Archery- Recurve Men's Individual – Atanu Das lost his quaterfinal match against Agata Salsabilla Riau Ega of Indonesia 3-7 pic.twitter.com/LYSdcOpiay
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Also in the morning session the second men in the fray Viswash, got the better of Bataa Purevsuren of Mongolia 6-2 in the first match but crashed out after losing pre-quarterfinal 1-7 to Kazakhstan’s Ilfat Abdullin.
Atanu Das was the only Indian making it to the men’s individual quarter-finals. He defeated both Yong Won Pak from Korea and Denis Gankin of Kazakhstan with an identical 7-3 margin
However he also could not clear the quarter final hurdle and made the exit. The 26 –year old Indian put up a valiant show but after being even in three sets he could not maintain the same concentration and in the fourth and fifth sets.
He shot 27 (9,9,9) in the first while his Rival’s score was also 27. In next two sets he scored 27(8,9,10) and 28 (9,10,9) to match his rivals score.
At the end of three sets both were levelled 3-3 but in the fourth set the Indonesian piped him 28-27 to go 5-3 up (A set win fetches two points). In the decider Atanu scored only eight in his third visit, having earlier scored perfect 10s in two visits to end with 28 points Agata scored 29 to win the set and match 7-3.
“Well I shot well. I was very confident. Being even in first three sets did not bother me” He said adding “I was hopeful of making it but third arrow in the last set made all the difference.
“It is very disappointing” he added.
Deepika who was given a bye kin the first round beat North Korea’s Hyang Ji Ri (6-2) but that was all she could do.
The Indian started with flourish against Ying Lei winning the first set (2-0). However both the archers had equal score in the second and they earned a point each and Indian led 3-1.
She however lost her concentration and focus muffed as Ying Lei won next two sets to take 5-3 lead,
Deepika needed to win the crucial fifth set to take the match into shootout. She raised the hopes as she led the set but at the crucial juncture she muffed her second last shot in the third set to lose the match T
Deepika had come into the Asian Games after winning a World Cup gold. “I am very disappointed with the result. Start was good, I tried hard but the second last shot in the third set was pretty bad. After that, I just could not get the 10s,” she said
Deepika, as world No 1, had exited early in the Rio Olympics as well. “I also expect myself to do well. I do not feel pressure at big events. We don’t think like this is big event. That kind of thought puts pressure. We just practice and try hard,” she said, adding that she will now try to do well in the mixed event