In a disappointing turn of events, the Indian women’s archery team faced a resounding defeat in the quarterfinals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The lower-ranked Netherlands outclassed them with a 6-0 victory.
Women’s Archery succumbs to pressure at Paris Olympics
The Indian trio consisted of Deepika Kumari, Bhajan Kaur, and Ankita Bhakat. Despite their impressive performance in the ranking round, they struggled to find their rhythm in the crucial knockout stage.
The Netherlands trio—Quinty Roeffen, Gaby Schloesser, and Laura van der Winkel—proved formidable opponents. They capitalized on every opportunity, leaving the Indian team trailing.
Set Scores:
Set 1: Netherlands 51 – 52 India
Set 2: Netherlands 49 – 54 India
Set 3: Netherlands 48 – 53 India
India impressed in the Women’s Ranking round, sealing the fourth seed and qualifying directly for the quarter-final. However, Deepika, Ankita, and Bhajan’s performance in the last eight rounds was far from satisfactory.
While Bhajan Kaur was consistently hitting 10s and 9s, Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat struggled for consistency. Both Deepika and Ankita shot 7s in the first set, allowing the Dutch team to take early advantage.
Ankita and Deepika shot 6s in the second set to allow the Netherlands to take a 4-0 lead.
The quarter-final did not even go the distance as the Netherlands wrapped it up in three sets. Ankita Bhakat came with a shocker as she shot a 4 in the final set, dampening any hopes of India progressing beyond the quarter-final.
🇮🇳 𝗔 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! The Indian women's team faced defeat against the Netherlands in the quarter-final, ending their campaign in the women's team archery event.
🏹 A close first set was followed by a disappointing performance in the… pic.twitter.com/fMLJU7iQ41
— India at Paris 2024 Olympics (@sportwalkmedia) July 28, 2024
Despite Ankita Bhakat’s strong showing in the ranking round, nerves got the better of her in the team event. Her final-set score of 4 dashed any hopes of an Indian comeback.
India’s quest for an Olympic archery medal remains unfulfilled. The men’s team will have their chance in the quarterfinals, but for now, the women’s team bows out with a heavy heart.
Also Read: Nikhat Zareen Advances to Pre-Quarterfinals at Paris 2024 Olympics
