Archer Deepika Kumari Inconsolable After Shock Loss to Mongolia

The recurve archery team of Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das suffered an upset at the hands of lower-ranked Mongolia.

Indian archers Deepika Kumari looks dejected after losing the recurve mixed team elimination event at the Asian Games 2018.

(Photo: PTI)

India's struggling recurve archery team was in for another shock with Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das suffering an upset at the hands of lower-ranked Mongolia in the Asian Games.

The 4-5 loss in the mixed team quarterfinals left the Indian squad shell-shocked as Deepika floundered in a pressure situation, finding a seven in the second shot of the shoot-off, which led to their ouster.

We really don’t know what’s happening. These archers were hitting world class score in the practice. It’s just not translating in the competitions. She is completely distraught. She thinks the team lost because of her.

Sawaiyan Manjhi, Indian Archery Coach

Meanwhile, India's compound team of Abhishek Verma and Jyoti Surekaha moved to the quarterfinal with a 155-147 win over Iraq's Fatima Saad Mahmood and Eshaq Ibrahim Mohammed. They will next take on Iran.

Indians Ranked Higher

World number seven Deepika and the 19th ranked Atanu were favourites against the Mongolians team of Bishindee Urantungalag, ranked as low as 254 and Otgobbold Baatarkhuya, ranked 94th in the world.

However, it was the Mongolians who nosed ahead by taking the first set 2-0.

The Indian team clawed their way back into the match by taking the next two sets. However, the Mongolians forced a shoot-off by snatching the fourth.

In the deciding shoot-off, both the teams found 10s in the first shot. The Mongolians found nine on the second, while Deepika shot a seven and handed the win to the lower ranked team.

An emotional Deepika Kumari after losing the recurve mix team elimination match. (Photo: PTI)

The defeat left Deepika shattered as she sat on the pavement outside the stadium, her hands covering her face in dejection. Her teammate Atanu tried hard to console her and coach Sawaiyan Manjhi, too, offered words of consolation.

This team just won a World Cup. They are not bad but I really have no idea what strikes them in the multi-sport event. I also have to take the blame. I could not prepare my archers to be consistent. But it’s enough. We just cannot take excuses that ‘we could not hit’. We really need to do some soul-searching and find out what’s wrong.

Sawaiyan Manjhi, Indian Archery Coach

The Indian recurve archers had a poor outing in the individual events as well, with only Atanu Das making the quarterfinals. Deepika had crashed out in the pre-quarterfinals.

Both Atanu and Deepika now have team events to redeem some pride.

"We lost and that's it. They hit and we did not. I don't know why and how because we don't know," said Das.