Archer Dhiraj Bommadevara finishes 2nd, earns quota for Paris Games

Bangkok, November 11

Dhiraj Bommadevara clinched India’s first Paris Olympics quota place in archery when he bagged a silver medal at the Asian Continental Qualification Tournament here today.

After his senior colleague Tarundeep Rai’s last-eight exit, Bommadevara was the lone Indian in fray and the 22-year-old did not disappoint, cruising into the final with two straight-set wins.

The Asian CQT offered individual quotas to the two countries that made the finals in the men’s and women’s sections. But Bommadevara failed to win the gold, losing to Chinese Taipei’s Zih-Siang Lin 5-6 (29-28, 27-29, 28-28, 30-28, 25-26) (9-10) in an intense shoot-off.

Bommadevara first ousted Sadegh Ashrafi Bavili of Iran 6-0 (28-27, 28-25, 28-27) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he knocked out another Iranian, Mohammadhossein Golshani, 6-0 (30-27, 29-25, 29-27).

India however failed to secure a quota place in the women’s individual section after Ankita Bhakat made a quarterfinal exit, losing to Ziyodakhon Abdusattorova of Uzbekistan. Bhakat led 3-1 after a solid first set but slipped away to lose 4-6 (29-23, 27-27, 24-25, 27-27, 24-26).