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The teenager from Satara, Maharashtra, shocked the archery world by knocking out two large names Tokyo Olympics champion Mete Gazoz of Turkey in a shoot-off within the opening spherical, after which two-time Olympics staff gold medalist Kim Je-Deok of South Korea within the quarterfinals, with out dropping a set.
Salunkhe then went on to assert his maiden World Cup medal a bronze in simply his second look, edging out Paris Games staff silver medallist Baptiste Addis of France within the playoff.
What stood out was not simply his achievement, but in addition his temperament and age-defying maturity, particularly in opposition to the dominant South Koreans, lengthy thought-about India’s arch-rivals within the sport.
Against all-time nice Kim Woojin within the semifinals, Salunkhe rallied from a 0-4 deficit to stage the match 4-4, solely to lose narrowly within the deciding set in an exhilarating five-setter.
Historically, Indian archers have crumbled below stress, and they’re nonetheless chasing that elusive Olympic medal. But in his brief stint thus far, Salunkhe has proven easy methods to thrive below stress.
“My focus wasn’t really on a medal; it was more on if I could deliver what I practised for,” Salunkhe stated about his key to success.
“That’s what mattered most to me and within the final finish I couldn’t do it. It’s all psychological. I lagged there, however it’s part of sport, you go up, you go down. It’s all proper. I’ll work on it,” he stated after profitable the bronze.
Incidentally, Salunkhe had completed lowest among the many 4 Indians within the qualification spherical positioned sixtieth, far behind Dhiraj Bommadevara , Tarundeep Rai , and Atanu Das .
His capacity to rise and ship within the knockouts mirrored his psychological energy.
“I was surprised to shoot bad in qualifications. I was happy with what I did and right now I did many good things, but also really bad things but I’ll work on it. That’s all that matters.”
Buoyed by Salunkhe’s efficiency, the Indian males’s recurve staff, boasting 41-year-old veteran Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das, and Bommadevara, may even look to return to the rostrum after narrowly lacking out in Shanghai, dropping the bronze playoff to the USA.
Individually, this stage provides a possibility for the skilled duo of Rai and Das, who’ve seven Olympic appearances between them, to redeem themselves.
Rai, the 2010 Asian Games silver medallist with 4 Olympic appearances, remains to be chasing his first particular person World Cup medal.
Das, who has made a comeback this 12 months, final received a World Cup medal a gold in Guatemala City in 2021.
In the ladies’s part, Deepika Kumari continues to script a outstanding comeback post-motherhood. The 30-year-old former world primary and four-time Olympian received a bronze in Shanghai, falling within the semifinals to her acquainted Korean rival, Lim Sihyeon.
Deepika had misplaced to Nam Suhyeon of Korea within the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics.
If she will be able to discover a well past the Korean wall, she may very well be unstoppable in her quest for her first World Cup gold since 2021.
India had completed second within the general medal standings in Shanghai with two gold, one silver and 4 bronze medals behind Korea, who received 5 gold and two silver.
Much of India’s success got here within the compound part.
Madhura Dhamangaonkar led the cost with a stellar comeback to assert particular person gold, whereas the boys’s staff comprising Ojas Deotale, Rishav Yadav, and veteran Abhishek Verma additionally reigned supreme.
The compound archers will as soon as once more look to maintain their sturdy kind in Antalya and maintain India’s medal tally ticking.
Indian Squad:
Recurve males: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Parth Salunkhe, Atanu Das and Tarundeep Rai.
Recurve ladies: Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, Simranjeet Kaur and Anshika Kumari.
Compound males: Abhishek Verma, Rishabh Yadav, Ojas Deotale and Uday Kamboj.
Compound ladies: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, Chikitha Taniparthi and Aditi Swami.
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