Paris: Indian para-archer Pooja failed to capitalise on a 4-0 advantage and missed a spot in the semifinals as she lost to China’s Wu Chunyan in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Recurve Open archery competition at the Paralympic Games here on Tuesday.
Pooja went down 4-6 to the Chinese archer after winning the first two sets 28-23 and 25-24 in the French capital. Wu Chunyan won three consecutive sets 28-27, 27-24 and 27-24 to win the quarterfinal match.
After winning the first two games, Pooja was on the verge of victory, having shot two 10s in the third set while her opponent had a 10 and a nine. But just when it mattered the most, Pooja could manage only a seven on her third turn in the third set while the Chinese archer had a nine on her third arrow and won the set to remain alive in the quarterfinal.
Two more seven points in the next two sets put paid to her chances as the Chinese girl wrapped up victory and stormed into the semifinal.
Earlier, Pooja had made it to the quarterfinals after beating Sengul Yagmur of Turkey in a pre-quarterfinal clash at the Invalides. Pooja blanked the Turkish archer 6-0, where both archers failed to hit a single 10. Pooja took advantage of her opponent’s mistakes to win the match.
However, her luck ran out against the Chinese and she bowed out with a narrow defeat.
