Archery World Cup Stage III
Ogden, USA, June, 2012
Day 4 Indian team settles for silver medal
The Indian men's archery team, consisting of Jayanta Talukdar, Tarundeep Rai and Rahul Banerjee, went down to the US in tie-breaker after both tied at 213-213. In the tie-breaker, the US archer shot 28 points to India's 27 to settle for silver in the World Cup Stage III which ended at Ogden on June 22.
The Indians showing were far more impressive especially during the run-up to the Olympics making the team as one of the favourites to do well at the Games.
Tarundeep Rai too came into focus despite losing to Gael Prevost of France in the bronze medal play-off. Both tied at 5-5 and in the one-arrow shoot-out, the French got a 10 and the Indian managed just an 8 for a final set score of 6-5.
Day 3: Indian men's team qualifies for London Olympics
The Indian men's archery team has made it to the London Olympics at Ogden (US) on June 21. The team, comprising Tarundeep Rai, Jayanta Talukdar and Rahul Banerjee, defeated Australia 221-209 to clinch one of the three team quota places available from this final Olympic qualifying tournament.
The Indian team defeated Norway in the pre-quarterfinals (224-207), Canada in the quarterfinals (224-216) and Australia in the semifinals. The team, however, failed to beat Japan in the final and went down 218-221.
The three teams, Japan, India and Chinese Taipei, earned the final three qualifying spots for the Games, are from Asia.
India had won the team and individual quota places in the women's section through Deepika Kumari, L. Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro from the World Championship held at Turin in Italy.
All six Indians will participate in the individual recurve sections as well as team championship.
Day 2: Tarundeep Rai to play for bronze medal
India's Tarundeep Rai will play France's Gael Prevost in the bronze medal match of the men's recurve individual event of the World Cup Stage III at Ogden. The Asian Games silver medallist Indian was beaten by Great Britain's Laurence Godfrey in the tie-breaker after both tied 5-5 in the set points on Wednesday. Rai beat Michele Frangilli of Italy in the quarterfinals 6-5.
Down by 0-2 sets which fetched the Briton four points, Rai fought back to win the next two to tie the set score at 4-4. The fifth set was tied and that gave both one point each. In the tie-breaker, Godfrey shot a 10 to Rai's 8. to move into the final.
Rahul Banerjee, whose equipment went missing, finally got back the bow case on June 20 evening when a Delta Airlines official returned it. In the morning he lost to Ibrahim Sabry of Egypt 6-4 in the opening round and the best ranked Indian, Jayanta Talukdar fell in the second round to Athens Olympic champion Marco Galiazzo of Italy 6-2.
Day 1: India ranked 3rd in Olympic qualifier
Indian threesome of Jayanta Talukdar, Rahul Banerjee and Tarundeep Rai gave India third place in the London Olympic qualification round at Ogden on June 19 this despite Banerjee using borrowed bow and arrows.
On a windy and cold morning when the mercury dipped to 14 degrees Celsius Talukdar (653 points), Rai (643) and Banerjee (642) finished on 14th, 34th and 35th positions respectively in the individual ranking for the World Cup Stage III meet. Their combined score gave India an overall seventh in the World Cup and third in the Olympic
qualifier. Chinese Taipei (1942) and Russia (1940) were placed first and second in the race for three Olympic berth.
India will take on Norway in the first round and meet the winner of Canada-the Netherlands contest. One of the four, Australia, Turkey, Romania and Russia, will be India's semifinal rivals.
``I expected the Indians to finish on top of the field in the London Olympic qualifier,'' said PN Mukherjee, Secretary, AAI. ``There was too much wind in the morning. That is why the scores of the first 70m round was less compared to the second 70m round,'' he said.
