Country’s top archer Deepika Kumari yet again came a cropper at the big stage as she was eliminated from the individual recurve event at the Asian Games after losing her pre-quarterfinal to Chien-Ying Lei.
After getting a bye, Deepika got past North Korea’s Hyang Ji Ri (6-2) but fluffed her second last shot in the third set to lose 3-7 to Chinese Taipei’s Chien Ying Lei.
She was leading prior to that shot, which fetched her nine points.
Deepika had come into the Asian Games after winning a World Cup (Stage Event) gold. At the Rio Olympics also, she had made an early exit even though she entered the biggest sporting event as world number one.
Atanu Das was the only Indian making it to the men’s individual quarterfinals. He defeated both Yong Won Pak from Korea and Denis Gankin of Kazakhstan with identical 7-3 margin.
“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,” Deepika said, though she denied having felt any kind of pressure.
Asked if the big-stage pressure, gets to her, Deepika replied in a negative.
“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.
Indian challenge ended in the women’s individual recurve as Promila Daimary was also eliminated after losing 2-6 to Mongolia’s Urantungalag Bishindee in the second round.
The second Indian in men’s individual recurve, 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.