Paris Paralympics 2024 Para-Archery: Rakesh Kumar loses bronze medal match by one point
India’s Paris Paralympics 2024 para-archery journey suffered another heartbreak as veteran para-archer Rakesh Kumar lost the men’s individual compound open bronze medal match on Sunday by a solitary point.
In the Esplanade des Invalides in Paris, 39-year-old Rakesh was defeated by the Tokyo 2020 double gold medalist He Zihao of China by a scoreline of 146-147.
The defeat was a hammer blow to Rakesh Kumar’s Paris Paralympics 2024 para-archery journey, as he had been in sublime form at the quadrennial tournament, defeating several heavyweights on his way to the bronze medal match.
This was the second time Rakesh suffered a heartbreak at the Paralympic Games, as he previously lost to another Chinese para-archer, Ai Xinliang, in the Tokyo 2020 quarterfinals by a narrow margin of 143-145.
How was Rakesh Kumar’s Paris Paralympics 2024 Para-Archery journey?
Rakesh Kumar was one of India's brightest spots on day four of the Paris Paralympics 2024.
The veteran para-archer defeated Aliou Drame of Senegal in a perfect opening-day performance to enter pre-quarters. Despite challenging weather conditions that saw a heavy downpour during the event, Rakesh managed to win his first match by 136-131.
Rakesh then defeated world No. 2 Ken Swagumilang of Indonesia in the pre-quarterfinal match. In a tense game that ended with a tied score of 144-144, the Indian para-archer emerged victorious after winning the shoot-off round by 10-8. He then defeated Canada’s Kyle Tremblay in another shoot-off victory in the quarterfinal round.
However, Rakesh’s luck finally ran out when he lost to China’s Ai Xinliang in the semi-final by a scoreline of 145-143.
As a result of his defeat in the bronze medal playoff match, Rakesh will return from his second Paralympic Games without a medal, but the experienced para-archer can be proud of his performances against heavyweight para-athletes in Paris 2024.