A day after a Korean upset an Indian in their stronger discipline, an Indian archer returned the favour to a Korean in their dominant suit.
Dhiraj Bommadevara, the World Cup Finals champion and qualification topper who appears in fine form as India’s best recurve hope, will join him in the last eight to fight for a medal. Bommadevara has progressed significantly since the previous Asian Games and is expected to make a charge toward an individual medal. He will face Uzbekistan’s Amirkhon Sadikov in the last eight. Should he advance, the Paris Olympian is likely to run into the only Korean left in the draw, Paris bronze medallist Lee Woo-seok. Young Kumkum will face an uphill task against Korea’s Kang in the quarters.
In the women’s individual section, India’s 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod booked her place in the quarter-finals after breezing past Bangladesh’s 14-year-old Saima Salahuddin 6-0, while Kirti lost to Korea’s seasoned Kang Chae-young 7-3 in her 1/8 elimination round. The Indian delivered a perfect 30 to take the first game and split the second 29-29. Three superb shots from the experienced Korean secured a 30-29 third game, bringing him level in the contest. Another split 29-29 game meant the scores were tied 4-4 heading into the decider. Chauhan held his nerve, shooting two 10s and a 9, while Je-deok faltered with an 8 off the final shot. With the big win (30-28, 29-29, 29-30, 29-29, 29-27) under his belt, Chauhan will take on Bhutan’s Paris Olympian Lam Dorji for a place in the last four. India’s most in-form archer swept past The Philippines’ Nigel Garcia 6-0 in the pre-quarters and Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsiang-Hui 6-2 in the quarters. The business end of the recurve individual event is scheduled on October 3.
