Paris Olympics: Indian Men’s Archery Team Knocked Out by Turkey in Quarter-Finals

Paris: A stunning upset marred India’s Olympic campaign as the men’s archery team bowed out in the quarterfinals at the prestigious Les Invalides arena. The trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav were outclassed by Turkey’s Mete Gazoz, Berkim Tumer, and Abdullah Yildirmis, losing 2-6 (52-57, 52-55, 55-54, 54-57).

The Indian team, riding high on the back of Dhiraj’s meteoric rise and the combined experience of Tarundeep and Pravin, were considered strong medal contenders. Their historic victory over South Korea at the Shanghai World Cup had further elevated their status.

Despite a promising third-seed finish in the qualification round, with an impressive average arrow score of 9.32, India failed to deliver under pressure. The Turkish team, spearheaded by Olympic champion Mete Gazoz, proved too strong on the day.

This defeat comes on the heels of the women’s team’s early exit, losing to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.