Champia earns ticket to Rio

Gagan k teja

tribune news service

patiala, July 30

Mangal Singh Champia earned India an individual Olympic quota berth in the recurve category by entering the quarterfinals of the World Archery Championships. Champia, however, lost out on medal contention after losing to Elias Malave of Venezuela 4-6 in the last-eight stage.

In the compound section, Rajat Chauhan and Laxmirani Majhi remained in the gold and bronze medal hunt in the championship.

Champia, the 2008 Beijing Olympian, defeated sixth seed Antonio Fernandez of Spain 6-2 to enter the quarterfinals. The 31-year-old archer, however, gave up a 4-2 lead in the last-eight stage to bow out of the tournament. The 59th-seeded marksman from Jharkhand began his day by beating Spaniard Miguel Alvarino Garcia (22nd seed) in the last-32. Champia lost the first and third set to trail 2-4 before making a remarkable comeback to script a 6-4 win. With two perfect 10s under his belt, the Spaniard misfired in the third end of the fourth set for a poor one, while the Indian archer shot two 10s and one nine to make it 4-4. Under pressure, Garcia misfired in the fifth set while Champia shot 10, 9, 9 to clinch the issue.

Meanwhile, Chauhan ensured India a medal by making the final, while Laxmirani Majhi advanced into the bronze medal play-off. Chauhan thrashed Camilo Cardona of Colombia 143-138 in a lop-sided match to set up a clash with local challenger Stephen Hansenon on Saturday.