Despite an exceptional performance from the youngest team member, 18-year-old Bhajan Kaur from Haryana, who scored 56 out of 60 points, the seasoned campaigners, Deepika and Ankita Bhakat, proved to be the weak links.
India lost 0-6 (51-52, 49-54, 48-53), with the experienced duo failing to cross the 50-point mark in two out of three sets, highlighting their dismal show.
Deepika, a four-time Olympian, accumulated a mere 48 points out of a maximum of 60, while Ankita scored even lower with 46 points, including a poor shot into the 4-ring. In contrast, Bhajan missed only four points, showcasing her impressive form.
This quarterfinal exit marked yet another disappointment for the Indian team at the Olympics, despite finishing fourth in the qualification round. Deepika’s only 10-point shot came on her last arrow, but by then, the match had already been decided.
A senior Indian archery official expressed disappointment, stating that Deepika’s poor performance was unexpected, given her impressive showing in the Indian trials.
“This is not at all expected. Deepika performed the best in the Indian trials but let the Indian team down badly by her poor performance today,” the senior Indian archery official told PTI.
The Indian women’s coach, Purnima Mahato, acknowledged that Deepika failed to shoot with a “strong mentality,” a crucial requirement for a celebrated archer, saying, “There was some strong wind hitting the body. They took time to judge it and held their arrows. We could not follow the process and were holding the anchor for a long time, it added to the tension.”
The Netherlands team, comprising Quinty Roeffen, Laura van der Winkel, and Gaby Schloesser, capitalized on the Indians’ inconsistency and maintained a consistent performance throughout the match. All eyes now turn to the Indian men’s team, which will begin its campaign from the quarterfinal stage on Monday.
