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Couldn’t perform to my potential – Archer Deepika Kumari reacts after another Olympic heartbreak

Deepika Kumari conceded that she couldn't perform to her potential after the Indian archer suffered another Olympic heart break in Tokyo 2020 on Friday (July 30).

Deepika Kumari

Tokyo, Jul 30: Deepika Kumari conceded that she couldn't perform to her potential after the Indian archer suffered another Olympic heart break in Tokyo 2020 on Friday (July 30).

While she lost in the pre-quarterfinals in Rio 2016 Olympics, Deepika crashed out in the opening round at her maiden Olympics in London 2012. The 27-year-old hoped to win her elusive medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Deepika, who finished ninth in the women's individual ranking event, faltered in the quarterfinals in the mixed team event in which she contested with Pravin Jadhav and the pair fell to South Korean duo, who went on to win gold.

Tokyo Olympics: Deepika Kumari enters archery quarterfinalsTokyo Olympics: Deepika Kumari enters archery quarterfinals

However, she kept her hopes alive after holding the nerve in the last-16 match of the of the Women's Individual event to pip 2017 world champion Ksenia Perova of the Russian Olympic Committee in a thrilling one-arrow shoot-off and sealed a 6-5 (10-7) win.

Locked 5-5 after the regulation five-setter, the 27-year-old Indian delivered a perfect 10, hitting the bull's eye, to topple the team silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Call it a stroke of luck or something else for Deepika but Perova misfired a 7 to start off the one-arrow shoot-off and the Indian held her nerves to seal the issue by hitting the bull's eye.

But, the world number one Indian archer's quest for an Olympic medal ended in heartbreak for the third time as she surrendered tamely to Korean top seed An San in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

In fact the match ended in six minutes as the Korean archer opened the match with a perfect set of three arrows at 10, while the fancied Indian misfired three 7s in a row after drilling in as many 10s in succession to snuff out any chance of a comeback after being 0-2 down in the opening set.

Tokyo 2020: Archer Deepika Kumari bows out after quarter-final loss to top seed An SanTokyo 2020: Archer Deepika Kumari bows out after quarter-final loss to top seed An San

An, who had a perfect opening set of 30, closed it out despite shooting in the red-circle thrice in succession (7-8-9) in second and third sets.

Deepika, who shot a pathetic four 7s from seven arrows, felt she tried hard but couldn't perform to her potential.

"I am not sure what happened. I tried hard but I could not perform to my own expectations," Deepika said after her loss at the Yumenoshima Park.

"I feel very sad, because I did well in the last two World Cups. I had high expectations but I could not start off well," she admitted.

"It was not a hard match at all, but I could not perform to my potential and she had it easy," Deepika, who lost to her in straight sets in the final of the Tokyo Test Event here two years ago, said.

Barring her three 10s on the trot in the opening set, there was no exceptional shooting from An, who had broken a 25-year-old Olympic record in the ranking round en route to winning two gold medals (team and mixed) in these Games.

But it was all about her Korean 'heavyweight tag' that proved to be the undoing for Deepika who came in as world number one after winning five World Cup gold medals this year.

"Rankings don't matter much in the Olympics. It happens once in four years and one bad match can cost you a medal. Every match is like a final here."

The 27-year-old Deepika, however, said she will not give up on her quest for an Olympic medal.

"As I'm getting old, it's getting tougher for me every day now. But archery does not stop for me. It's the only thing I do well. So I will keep trying every time."

Now, Deepika will cheer on her husband Atanu Das, who is the only Indian left in medal contention after his stunning shoot-off victory over two-time Olympic champion Oh Jin Hyek.

In his last-16 match slated on Saturday, Das will face home favourite Takaharu Furukawa, an individual silver medallist at the 2012 Olympics and a team bronze winner at the 2020 Olympics.

(With PTI inputs)

Story first published: Friday, July 30, 2021, 15:54 [IST]
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