Indian recurve archer Neeraj Chauhan triumphed over South Korea’s three-time Olympic team Kim Je-Diok in a thrilling match at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on September 29. Chauhan secured his place in the men’s individual quarterfinals with a 6-4 victory.
Chauhan initially took a 3-1 lead but found himself tied at 3-3. The match remained competitive, ending the fourth set at 4-4. However, in a strong finish, the Indian archer clinched the final set to confirm his advancement.
In another impressive performance, Dheeraj Bommadevara also progressed by defeating Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Siang-Hui with a score of 6-2. Dheeraj is set to face Uzbekistan’s Amirkan Sadikov in the quarterfinals on Saturday, while Neeraj will compete against Bhutan’s Dorji Lam.
Earlier in the round of 32, Dheeraj easily overcame the Philippines’ Girvin Garcia with a dominant 6-0 performance, winning all three sets. Neeraj, on the other hand, staged a comeback after trailing 0-4, defeating Indonesia’s Riau Ega Agata 6-4.
In related news, both the Indian men’s and women’s recurve archery teams reached the semifinals on Sunday, defeating China and Taipei, respectively. The men’s team, consisting of Dheeraj, Neeraj, and Yashdeep Bhoge, secured a semifinal spot by beating China 5-1. Meanwhile, the women’s team, featuring Kumkum Anil Mohod, Kirti Sharma, and Ankita Bhakt, achieved a 6-0 victory over Chinese Taipei. Additionally, Dheeraj and Kumkum Anil Mohod’s mixed team also advanced to the semifinals.
All three teams will compete in their semifinal matches on October 2. The men’s team will face Iran, while the women’s team takes on China. The mixed team is set to challenge Japan.
The offer a total of eight quota spots for the upcoming LA28 Olympic Games, with two quota places available in both men’s and women’s individual recurve events, and one each for the recurve mixed team and compound mixed team championships.
Neeraj Chauhan Advances to Quarterfinals at Asian Games, Dheeraj Follows Suit