Pravin Jadhav, not Atanu, to partner Deepika in mixed team archery competition in Tokyo
Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 23
The Archery Association of India (AAI) has decided to field Pravin Jadhav with Deepika Kumari in the mixed team event at the Tokyo Games.
Pravin earned his ticket for the mixed team after scoring 656 points in the individual men’s recurve qualification round, which placed him 31st, four places above Atanu Das—the highest-placed Indian in the draw.
The decision, taken by the selection committee, which included AAI secretary general Pramod Chandurkar, has been communicated to archery coach Mim Bahadur Gurung.
Deepika, being the lone Indian women archer in the competition, was hoping to partner compatriot and now husband Atanu at the Tokyo Olympics on the back of winning the mixed team gold medal at last month’s Paris World Cup.
However, their hopes were dashed with a disappointing qualification round from Atanu, where he garnered a below-average score of 653 points; the third and the most senior member of the team Tarundeep Rai was placed 37th with a total of 652 points.
“Pravin has earned the right as he finished above Atanu. This is done on merit and Mim Bahadur has been asked to notify the organisers,” said a source.
“They (Atanu-Deepika) may have won the medal but Pravin has worked equally hard and so he will represent India in the mixed team event,” the source added.
Earlier, Deepika, who is currently World No 1, had a miserable qualification as she finished a lowly ninth after aggregating a total of 663 points. She is likely to face South Korea’s An San, who broke the Olympic qualification record with a total of 680 points.
The low scores have ensured that the Indians’ chances of qualifying for the medal matches in the men’s team and as well as the mixed team have decreased significantly.
Indian mixed pair of Pravin and Deepika is ranked ninth with a combined score of 1319 points and are expected to get the Korean duo of An San and Kim Je Deok in the elimination matches.
Similarly, the men’s team of Atanu, Pravin and Tarundeep are ranked ninth with a total of 1961 points.
