Paris Olympics 2024 Archery: Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara go down to South Korea in the semifinals, to fight for bronze
India’s mixed archery team of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat took on the top-seeded South Korean pair of Kim Woojin and Lim Sihyeon in the semifinals at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Friday, August 2. Despite a valiant effort, the Indian archers were defeated 2-6 by the Korean pair.
The first set commenced with Lim Sihyeon shooting an 8, followed by Kim Woojin's 9. Ankita Bhakat responded with a 9, and Dhiraj Bommadevara's perfect 10 gave India an early 2-point lead.
Lim quickly found the center with a 10, and Kim's subsequent 9 brought South Korea's total to 36. Ankita continued with another 9, and Dhiraj's second perfect 10 clinched the set for India, establishing a promising lead.
In the second set, the South Korean archers made a strong comeback. Lim and Kim both shot perfect 10s, putting pressure on the Indian duo. Ankita misfired with an 8, and Dhiraj managed a 9. The Koreans' consistent nines in the following arrows virtually sealed the set for them. They eventually won the set 38-35, leveling the score.
The third set saw a fierce battle between the two pairs. Lim and Kim began with a 9 and a 10, respectively, which the Indian archers matched. In the second round of arrows, the Koreans fired another 9 and 10. Ankita's perfect 10 brought India close, but Dhiraj's 8 fell just short, allowing South Korea to win the set 38-37 and take a 4-2 lead.
In the decisive fourth set, Bhakat and Dhiraj started strong with two 9s, but the Koreans responded with two perfect 10s. Despite Ankita and Dhiraj's efforts, each scoring a 10, the Korean pair maintained their momentum. The final arrows saw South Korea secure the set with a total of 19 points, winning them the set and match. The final score of the semifinals was 6-2 in favor of the South Koreans.
Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat will now fight for the bronze medal, facing either the USA or Germany.
India’s mixed team’s journey at the Paris Olympics 2024
Prior to their semifinal clash against South Korea, the Indian archery team faced Indonesia and Spain.
In the Round of 16, the Indian team secured a comfortable 5-1 victory over Indonesia's Choirunisa Diananda and Pangestu Arif, leading from the start and maintaining their dominance throughout the match.
Meanwhile, the quarterfinals saw Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara defeat the Spanish duo of Gonzalez Acha and Elia Canales in a thrilling four-set battle. The final score of the match was 5-3 in favor of the Indians.