Paris Olympics 2024: How can the Indian women’s recurve archery team still qualify for the mega event?
The Indian women’s recurve team couldn’t create an impact in the final Qualifier for the Paris Olympics 2024, suffering a defeat against lower-ranked Ukraine to crash out in the pre-quarterfinals on June 14, Friday. The team comprised Deepika Kumari, Bhajan Kair, and Ankita Bhakat.
However, the Indian recurve team still has a chance to make it to the Paris Olympics 2024. Let’s delve into the details of how the team can make it to the mega event in Paris.
Fortunately, the Indian recurve team still has a chance to make it to the Paris Olympics 2024 via the route of world rankings. According to the qualification rule for the Paris Olympics 2024, the top two countries in the World Archery Rankings, that didn’t make it to the mega event from the Qualifiers, will get a chance to make the cut for Paris 2024.
The Indian women’s team is currently ranked at No. 8, while South Korea, Germany, France, Mexico, USA, who are ahead of India in rankings, have already made it to the Paris Olympics.
No. 2 China and No. 7 Chinese Taipei are the two countries that secured the quota from the final Olympic qualifier. With the top seven sides already securing Olympic spots, the Indian women’s team will be in the race to win a team quota for the mega event.
India having qualified as a fifth seed, received a bye into the pre-quarterfinal and needed only two victories in the elimination round to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. Notably, the four semi-finalists in the women’s recurve event will get team quota for the mega event in Paris.
Indian women's team faced a defeat to Ukraine in the pre-quarterfinal
However, the eighth-ranked Indian team couldn’t create an impact after initially leading by 3-1 to go down by 3-5 (51-51, 55-52, 53-54 and 52-54). Bhajan and Ankita’s inexperience couldn’t help India in the crunch moments of the game.
It’s important to note that more than 300 recurve archers from 80-plus nations are competing in the final Olympic qualifying event for the Paris Olympics, which is scheduled to start on July 26.
Dhiraj Bommadevara already secured India’s only archery quota for the upcoming Paris Olympics via the Asian Continental Qualifier Tournament in Bangkok in 2023.