Deepika stumbles once again, says lost fight against herself
MISSES MEDAL Former world No.1 archer doesn’t live up to her billing, loses in prequarters
JAKARTA: Yet again, Deepika Kumari flunked at the top level in what seems to be a continuing trend for the archer who was expected to lead India’s charge in the discipline at the Asian Games here.
On Thursday, she made an early exit after losing her individual recurve pre-quarterfinal to Chien-ying Lei of Chinese Taipei 3-7.
This comes on the back of a gold-winning performance at a World Cup stage.
But here, it was the case of just one arrow as Deepika failed to control her nerve despite having an early lead in the game.
She won the first set 29-27 before the second set was equalled 29-29.
Her form, however, started taking a nosedive after that as she lost the next three sets 24-28, 27-28 and 25-29.
TEARY-EYED
“It was my fight against my own self and I lost,” a teary-eyed Deepika, who won gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in recurve individual and team events, said after her loss.
“It is a sport where you always try to beat yourself and this has nothing to do with what my rival is doing. I tried my best to remain focused but it did not go my way.”
Deepika, who had a convincing 6-2 win in her first match against North Korea’s Hyang Ji Ri, said she was quite disappointed with her performance.
“It is really quite disappointing for me as I started well and tried hard, but I did not shoot well in my second last shot in the third set and it made all the difference at the end. I was des-
Now it is time to concentrate on the mixed team event and I should not remember what has happened to me in the individual event DEEPIKA KUMARI, Indian archer
perate for a full 10, but it didn’t happen,” said Deepika, who has won two silver medals (2011 and 2015) at the World Championships.
She, however, refused to acknowledge there was any pressure.
DID NOT FEEL PRESSURE
“I also expect myself to do well. I do not feel pressure at big events. We don’t think like this is a big event. That kind of thought puts pressure. We just practice and try hard,” the former world number one archer said, adding that she will now try to do well in the mixed event. Deepika had won a recurve team bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.
“Now it is time to concentrate on the mixed team event and I should forget what has happened to me in the individual event. One needs to learn from his or her mistakes and I too will do the same,” said the threetime World Cup gold medallist.
In fact, Deepika’s elimination was curtains for India 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.
India’s last hope in the men’s individual quarter-final was dashed too when Atanu Das lost to Indonesia’s Salsabilla Riau Egaagata 3-7.
Atanu was neck-and-neck in the first three sets, but thereafter lost the next two.
In the Round of 32, Atanu defeated North Korean Yong Won Pak 7-3 following it up with a same score victory against Denis Gankin of Kazakhstan in the pre-quarterfinal.
The other Indian in men’s individual recurve, Viswas got the better of Bataa Purevsuren of Mongolia 6-2 in the first match but crashed out after losing his pre-quarterfinal 1-7 to Kazakhstan’s Ilfat Abdullin.