Okazaki: India’s Dhiraj Bommadevara smashed the Asian Games record to top the recurve individual archery qualification event on Saturday at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Sq here on Saturday.
Dhiraj produced a stellar show to finish with a score of 698, from the 720 possible, and earn the top seed in the individual event as India ended the team qualification as the second seed.
Dhiraj broke the previous Asiad record of 690 points, which belonged to Korea’s Lee Woo. Dhiraj was in top form across the two halves as he earned 348 of the 360 points. The archer then improved in the second half with a 350 score in the final 36 arrows, dropping only 10 points out of the 360 possible.
Other Indians in the fray, Neeraj Chauhan and Sanjay Yashdeep Bhoge, finished the individual event in 20th and 25th place. Neeraj collected 676 points, while Sanjay took 665 from the event.
The trio helped the team finish second in the team qualification with 2039 points, just behind the Korean side, who had 2064 points. This has given the Indian men’s team a bye into the pre-quarterfinals as they are seeded second in the 32-team draw. Dhiraj has also received a bye into the second round, being the top seed.
In the women’s event, India’s Chikitha Taniparthi topped the individual compound event with a score of 705 from 720 with a stellar outing. She came within touching distance of shattering the Asian Games record of Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yi-hsuan, who had shot 706 in the 2018 Games.
India’s Jyothi Surekha was 13th with a score of 699, while Prithika Pradeep was 20th with 695 points. In the team event, the Indian women secured a second-place finish. The trio helped India combine for 2099 points (T74;84), while China took the top spot with 2099 points (T82;76).
(IANS)
