Archery World Cup: Deepika Kumari wins three medals on the last day of the tournament

IANS
Deepika Kumari

Wroclaw (Poland), Aug 10 (IANS) Indian archer Deepika Kumari led India's charge by winning a gold and two bronze medals on the final day of the World Cup stage 4 on Sunday. The 20-year-old was the star performer as India clinched the gold in the women's recurve team final.

Later in the day, Deepika went on to win the mixed (with Jayanta Talukdar) and individual play-offs to take home two bronze medals.

India beat Mexico 6-0 without surrendering a single set point to bag the recurve women's gold medal.

Earlier, in the men's recurve team final, Mexico took a 2-0 lead and never looked back with India having to settle for silver losing 3-5.

Deepika Kumari, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, was the star of the show in the women's summit clash, shooting three of the Indian team's five 10s.

"The match wasn't too difficult," said Deepika. "Hopefully we can do the same at the Asian Games."

"This event has already raised our confidence. We have had a difficult season, but the hard work we've put in ahead of Incheon is starting to pay off."

The 17th Asian Games will be held in Incheon, South Korea September 19-October 4.

China swept Georgia in a one-sided bronze medal match to round up the top three. The men, though, came out second best in the final.

India trailed 2-4 in the fourth set with Mexico’s anchor archer Juan Rene Serrano only needing a red to seal the match.

"Everything was in my mind," said Serrano about that last arrow. "It wasn't too good, but good enough to win."

Needing a seven to draw the fourth set and win the match, Mexico were already leading 4-2, Serrano shot and turned quickly off the line without looking to see where his arrow had landed. "I knew I just had to put my arrow in the red to win the match."

"When I heard the announcer calling 'seven', I was relieved!"

The only right-handed archer in Mexico's team here, Juan Rene shot last in the trio's rotation. He said Luis Alvarez and Pedro Vivas made his job easy. It is a second lifetime World Cup stage team gold for Mexico. The other was won at Medellin last year.

Russia lost the recurve men's bronze medal match to China.The Russian team improved each end, but China had built too much of a lead after winning the first two sets.

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