Rio 2016: Indian archers are to compete with night events from Friday

Three Indian Women Archers- Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi, Laxmirani Majhi (from left to right). Indianarchary.com
Three Indian Women Archers- Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi, Laxmirani Majhi (from left to right). Indianarchary.com

Internet Desk: Indian archers will start their venture competing with a new situation, the flood lights. Rio will host a part of the archery competition under floodlight. Along with many nations Indian archers will be playing for the first time in this situation.
The archery squad of India comprising of three women and a single men’s player will, start their venture in Rio from Friday. Their matches will start ahead of the inaugural function of 31st Summer Olympic on 5th August.
The women’s team ranking round would take place on Friday, while the eliminations are scheduled for August 7. The team final is slated to be held early on August 8. The Indian women would strive to keep their arrows on target in the individual elimination matches from August 8, with the final fixed for the early hours of August 12.
Among the women archers of India Bombayla Devi is the most senior by experience and age as well. She took part in 2008 Beijing Olympic and in 2012 London too. None of the Games gave her any Medal unfortunately. This year is her third consecutive Olympic and India hopes something from the experienced archer.
Orissa born archer Deepika Kumari has also large expectation on her shoulder. In fact being junior to Bombayla she has the responsibility to lead the archery team of India in Rio. Kumari ranks 12th in the world presently. Topping the world rankings, winning a gold medal in an individual stage in the Archery World Cup, equaling the world record, Kumari at the tender age of 22 has seen and done all of that. For a woman who was awarded the Longines Prize for Precision for the most “Precise Archer of the World” in May this year, an award given to the archer with the most number of 10’s (Bullseyes) in the World Cup season, a lack of ability is not the concern. Instead, the problem lies in Kumari’s consistency at the highest level.
Laxmirani Majhi is the newcomer in Olympic. The Bengal born girl qualified for Rio after achieving the Silver Medal at World Archery Championship in 2015. She will gain her Olympic experience holding the hands of her two senior women players.
This time India has the sole representative in Men’s individual event, Atanu Das. A lack of pressure and limelight could benefit the 24-year-old sole male Indian archer. Das showed glimpses of his ability when he finished fourth at the third stage of the Archery World Cup held in Antalya, Turkey, earlier this year. Das’s accomplishments sound even more impressive when you take into account that he hadn’t won the initial Olympic quota in the individual men’s recurve. Das won a selection trial against veteran Jayanta Talukdar and Mangal Singh Champia, who had initially won the quota.
The last performances the Rio bound archers showed, gives confidence to Indian fans. However, they are under pressure following the use of floodlight. As sun sets in Rio around 5:30pn, the floodlights will be lighted nearly at 4:30pm. The Indian archers practiced under floodlight from the day when they reached Rio.