Olympics 2024 Archery: Know All About Ankita Bhakat & Dhiraj Bommadevara’s Quarterfinal Opponents Elia Canales & Pablo Acha

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The Indian archery mixed team, comprising Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara, is set to face Spain's Elia Canales and Pablo Acha in the quarterfinals today (August 02) at 5:45 PM IST at the Paris Olympics 2024.

After a convincing 5-1 victory over Indonesia in the round of 16, the Indian duo looks to advance further in the competition. Let's take a closer look at their opponents from Spain.

Elia Canales

Elia Canales is a formidable presence in women's archery, currently ranked seventh in the world as of March 2024. Born on June 25, 2001, in Tarragona, Spain, Canales has a string of impressive performances to her name. Her recent achievements include:

• Antalya 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 3 (Turkey): Finished 33rd
• Yecheon 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 2 (Republic of Korea): Finished 5th
• Essen 2024 European Archery Championships (Germany): Finished 7th
• Shanghai 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 1 (China): Finished 17th
• 2024 Kahraman Bagatir Spring Arrows Tournament (Turkey): Finished 6th
• Indoor Archery World Series Finals (USA): Finished 5th
• The Vegas Shoot (USA): Finished 5th
• Nimes Archery Tournament (France): Finished 11th

Pablo Acha

Pablo Acha González, born on August 4, 1996, in Burgos, Spain, is a seasoned male recurve archer with a series of accolades in his career. Acha won an individual gold medal and a mixed team silver at the 2021 European Championships.

His career highlights also include medals at the Mediterranean Games, European Games, and several Archery World Cups. Some of his key achievements are:

• 2021 European Championships (Antalya): Gold in Individual, Silver in Mixed Team
• 2019 European Games (Minsk): Bronze in Individual
• 2023 European Games (Kraków-Małopolska): Silver in Team, Bronze in Individual
• 2022 European Archery Championships (Munich): Silver in Men's Team
• World Cup 2021: Gold in Team (Guatemala City), Silver in Team (Lausanne)
• 2017 World Cup (Antalya): Bronze in Mixed Team

Acha's personal journey includes moving to Madrid for training and studying robotics and automation at the University of Burgos. He began archery at age eight, inspired by his older brother and supported by his uncle, the president of a local archery club.

Recent Performances

In the elimination 1/8 round at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Elia Canales and Pablo Acha overcame China with a 6-2 victory. They showcased consistency with scores of 39, 36, 37, and 39, defeating China, who managed 37, 36, 37, and 38.

The Anticipated Match: India vs. Spain

Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara's success in the pre-quarterfinals, marked by scores of 37-36 and 38-37 in the first and third sets respectively, sets the stage for a thrilling encounter against Spain. The Indian duo will need to leverage their precision and teamwork to outmatch the seasoned pair of Canales and Acha.

Match Details

• Date: Thursday, August 2
• Time: 5:45 PM IST
• Event: Mixed Team Quarter-finals
• Competitors: Ankita Bhakat & Dhiraj Bommadevara (India) vs. Elia Canales & Pablo Acha (Spain)

This quarterfinal match promises to be a clash of skill and strategy, with both teams aiming to secure a spot in the medal rounds later today.