Dhiraj Bommadevara, fresh off his World Cup Final victory, commenced his Asian Games journey with an impressive performance. He achieved a remarkable 698 points in the men’s recurve qualification round, breaking the previous record and securing the top position in the standings on Saturday in Okazaki City. This achievement underscores his strong form and sets a high bar for competitors in the tournament.
He shot 348 in his first 36 arrows and then dropped just 10 points in the final 36, adding 350 to finish on 698 out of a possible 720. His score bettered the previous Asian Games qualification record of 690 by Korean Lee Woo Seok, who slipped to fourth position with 687 points. Dhiraj holds a 2-1 head-to-head record against the Korean, who is ranked 19th in the world. Woojin, who was eyeing a third Asian Games gold, finished third among the Korean archers and missed the cut as only the top two from each country qualify for the 64-player elimination draw. As the second seed in the 32-team draw, India received a bye into the pre-quarterfinals, where they will face the Philippines. In the women’s compound section, 21-year-old Chikitha Taniparthi gave India a major boost by topping the individual qualification with 705 points from a maximum 720.
Dhiraj, currently ranked fourth in the world, produced a superb second half to move clear at the top. Seok, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, could be a potential semifinal opponent if both archers progress that far. The team will need three wins to secure a medal.
