'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India started Day 5 of the 2021 Olympics on a losing note with archer Tarundeep Rai losing his round of 32 fixture against Israel's Itay Shanny in the men's individual archery competition.
Itay Shanny defeated Rai in a shoot-off after the scores were level at the end of the fifth set. Rai started the contest by conceding the first set to his opponent 28-24.
A couple of mishit shots could only yield him 7 and 8 points in the opening set. However, he was quick to turn things around. He won the second set 27-26, drew the third one with a score of 27-27 and won the fourth set 28-27.
He succeeded in scoring 10 pointers on three occasions in these three sets. He led the contest 5-3 at this point.
However, Shanny rose to the occasion in the fifth set and managed to clinch the crucial set 28-27. The Israeli shot a couple of 10s in the this set under pressure. In the shoot-off that followed, Shanny again managed to score a perfect 10 while India's Rai could only manage a 9.
Itay Shanny, who was the first Israeli archer to compete at the Olympics, continued his surprising run in the tournament. In the first round, he defeated Japan's Muto Hiroki - the tournament's fifth seed.
For Tarundeep, it was curtains to his contention at the Tokyo Olympics after the second round loss. This was the third Olympic appearance for Rai and he would be upset after bowing out to a much lower-ranked opponent.
Earlier in the first round, Rai had managed to beat Ukraine's Hunbin 6-4 in another five-set thriller. He trailed the contest 4-2 at one point but some clinical archery from the 37-year-old saw him sail through to the second round.
More Indian archers at the Olympics
India will now hope that its other two archers in the men's competition - Pravin Jadhav and Atanu Das - manage to put up a better show and qualify for the Olympics medal matches.
India will also be banking on World No. 1 Deepika Kumari in the women's individual competition to win the elusive Olympic medal in archery.
Also read - India at Olympics 2021
