ARCHERY
CHENGDU, (China) Aug 8: India’s campaign in the mixed team compound archery event at the World Games 2025 came to an end in the quarterfinals here on Friday, as Madhura Dhamangaonkar and Abhishek Verma suffered a narrow loss to the South Korean duo of Moon Yeeun and Lee Eun Ho.
The top-seeded Indian pair, who topped the qualification round with a score of 1415 to be seeded first, went down 151-154 against the eighth-seeded Korean duo.
Thus ending India’s hopes of repeating their success from the previous edition of the World Games in 2022, where Abhishek and Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinched the mixed team bronze in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, India’s challenge in the individual compound events is still alive, with four of the five in action making it to the quarterfinal stage.
Veteran archer Abhishek, a two-time Asian Games silver medallist, who advanced directly to the second round via a bye, defeated Puerto Rico’s Jean Pizarro 149-143 to seal his spot in the top eight.
Youngster Rishabh Yadav impressed with back-to-back wins over Riku Van Tonder (New Zealand) and Julio Barillas (Guatemala) to reach the quarters. Rakesh Kumar, however, suffered an exit, going down 146-147 to Turkiye’s Batuhan Akcaoglu in a tense encounter.
Abhishek will face off with America’s Sawyer Sullivan, while Rishabh will lock horns with Yagiz Sezgin of Turkiye for a place in the semifinals.
In the women’s individual, Parneet Kaur continued her fine form, dispatching Jeanine Van Kradenburg (South Africa) and fifth seed Mariana Bernal Sanchez (Mexico) to enter the quarterfinal, where she will be up against fourth-seeded Alejandra Usquiano of Colombia.
Third-seeded Madhura, who was the winner of the World Cup stage in Shanghai earlier this year, made light work of Iran’s Geesa Bybordy after receiving an opening-round bye. She will play Lisell Jaatma of Estonia.
India has sent a 17-member contingent to the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, competing in events including archery, billiards, racquetball, roller sports and wushu. (IANS)