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Olympics: Archer Das stuns two-time Olympic champ, enters pre-quarters

Last updated on: July 29, 2021 11:02 IST

India's Atanu Das reacts after defeating two-time Olympic champion Oh Jin Hyek in the Olympics Archery men's individual 1/16 finals, at Yumenoshima Archery Field, Tokyo, on Wednesday.

IMAGE: India's Atanu Das reacts after defeating two-time Olympic champion Oh Jin Hyek in the Olympics Archery men's individual 1/16 finals, at Yumenoshima Archery Field, Tokyo, on Wednesday. Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters

India archer Atanu Das hit the bull's eye in a one-arrow shoot-off to knock two-time Olympic champion Oh Jin Hyek out of the Tokyo Olympics and storm into the pre-quarter finals on Thursday.

 

It was the greatest win in the career of 29-year-old India number one, who was snubbed by the team's think tank and lost his place to rookie Pravin Jadhav in the mixed team event on Day 1 of the competition.

Returning to action after the humiliation, Das showed amazing resilience as he bounced back from being 2-4 down to edge out the Korean great by shooting a perfect 10 in the one-arrow shoot-off.

Oh had won the individual gold medal in London 2012 and was a member of the gold medal winning team at the ongoing Tokyo Games.

He was also part of the bronze-winning team at 2012 Olympics.

Das and his world number one wife Deepika Kumari are the two Indians left in the fray in archery .

Deepika has also made the round of 16.

Das saw off a tough challenge from Chinese Taipei's Deng Yu-Cheng earlier in the day.

Both the players won two sets each following some intense shooting and were tied 4-4. In the decider too they went neck-and-neck till 19-all.

But the archer from Chinese Taipei crumbled under pressure, misfiring a 7, as Das, who had slipped behind rookie Jadhav in the ranking round on Friday, held his nerve to seal a 6-4 victory after drilling in a 9 in the yellow-ring.

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