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India's Deepika Kumari is a woman on a mission. Her plans are outlined very clearly. India's top-ranked archer stole the limelight as she won three gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Paris on Sunday.
After guiding India to gold in the women's team event and in the mixed category with husband Atanu Das, Deepika Kumari beat Russia's Elena Osipova in the final of the women's individual recurve category to win her third gold medal of the evening.
After the match, Deepika Kumari was undoubtedly elated. She said:
"I feel very good. I am happy because I am improving. This is my first time winning three gold medals and I am happy. I know that I need to continue this performance and improve in the upcoming tournament (Tokyo Olympics 2020). It is important, I am learning and I am giving my best. The Olympics are very important as India hasn't won a medal and I want to win a medal for India."
In the women's final, Deepika Kumari steamrollered past her opponent Elena Osipova 6-0 to emerge as the best archer of the evening.
In the first set, she managed to stave off stiff resistance from Osipova, winning 29-26 after the Russian could only manage 8 in her third shot.
Deepika Kumari brought out her best game to triumph in the second set, scoring 9,10 and 10 while Osipova managed one less with two 9-pointers.
In the third, it was Osipova who slumped with an eight-pointer to start handing Deepika Kumari the advantage. The Indian responded with a 9 and the Russian found it hard to crawl back into the match. In the final shot, Deepika Kumari needed 10 to win the gold medal and, with a composed nature, she took her time and shot the bulls eye to win the gold medal.
Earlier in the first final of the day, the Indian women's recurve team comprising Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari beat Mexico 5-1 in the final of the women’s team event. The medal will bring some solace for the troika who had earlier failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2020, going down to Colombia.
The Indian women also won gold at Stage 1 of the World Cup in Guatemala City earlier this year.
Read: As the finals happened, set by set
In the Indian women's team recurve final, there was little to separate India and Mexico. The teams matched shot to shot and came out even-steven in the first set with a score of 57-57. The Indians were on the money with five ten-pointers, that included an ‘X’.
In the second set, India took an early lead at the half-way stage at 27-25, with Ana Vazquez’s 7 being the difference. The Mexicans upped the ante and scored 52 in the second set. Needing 53 to surge ahead, Ankita Bhakat scored 8, Komalika Bari shot 9 and Deepika Kumari scored 10 to give India a 3-1 lead.
Mexico improved on their second set performance in the third, taking a 29-27 lead midway. However, with scores of 9,8, and 8, Mexico managed only 54 in the third.
Ankita Bhakat put India in good stead by scoring a 10 and after Komalika Bari scored 8, it was left for Deepika Kumari to score 10 or 9 to give India the gold medal. The India’s top-ranked archer scored a 10 and India pipped Mexico by one point to win 55-54.
Also read: Archery World Cup: Abhishek Verma wins compound gold for India
Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari said they were happy with the medal.
“We were confident of winning the gold and we are happy, the duo said after the match.
Deepika Kumari, though elated, wanted to stay focused on her next match with husband Atanu Das.
“We played well and I will try my best for the upcoming matches,” Deepika Kumari said after the feat.
It feels amazing to win the gold medal with Deepika Kumari, says Atanu Das
In the second match of the afternoon, Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das came out all guns blazing to stave off a challenge from The Netherlands' Gabriela Schloesser and Van Den Berg.
The Indians stuttered at the start, losing the first set 37-38 as Deepika Kumari’s 8 with the first arrow made the difference. The teams matched shot to shot and, with India trailing by one point, the Dutch duo took the set.
The Indians soaked in the pressure well and managed 19 in the first two shots of the second set with Atanu Das scoring 10 and Deepika Kumari scoring 9. However, The Netherlands lost the plot with Den Berg could only manage 7 and India raced to a three-point lead at the halfway stage of the second set.
India held on to a three-point lead until the end with a 36-33 scoreline at the end of the second set.
Also read: Tokyo Olympics: The sport in which India is likely to win its first-ever Olympic Medal - Archery
Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das took an early lead in the third set with a 19-17 score at the halfway stage.
The husband-wife duo brought on their best game when it mattered to score two 10-pointers as India took the set beyond The Netherlands’ reach.
A slight drizzle across the ground was no deterrent as India matched shots-to-shot of what the Netherlands managed. After Atanu Das scored a 10 on his last shot, Deepika Kumari scored 9 to secure the gold medal.
Post the match, Atanu Das said:
“We are made for each other. That's why we are married. We motivate each other, we support each other and we win together. It feels amazing. This is the first time we are winning together. We have been playing since 2008 and this is our first gold medal.”
Deepika Kumari remained composed and said she was looking forward to her next match.
“I feel happy for winning the gold. Looking forward to my individual events and trying my best. We are like friends and not like a husband-wife on the field, Deepika Kumari said.
Also read: Deepika Kumari: From poverty and hunger to gold medals and fame
