Xtra Time Web Desk: A sportsperson always gives its best for the country and when it is on a bigger stage like the Olympics the expectations are sky high. There was a lot of hopes on the Indian archery team to do well at the Tokyo Olympics. The likes of Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav raised high hopes of a medal with their performances in various tournaments including the world cups in the past three years. But when it mattered the most, they failed to live up to the expectations.
India archer Atanu Das took to twitter in apologizing to the entire country for not being able to return with a medal. Atanu Das bowed out of men’s individual event after losing to Japan’s Takaharu Furukawa in the 1/8 Eliminations Round at Yumenoshima Park on Saturday.
“Sorry INDIA, I couldn’t bring glory in this Olympics. But the support we get from @Media_SAI, @indian_archery, TOPS, @OGQ_India is fantastic till now. We should keep moving forward, else nothing to say. Jai Hind,” tweeted Atanu.
Furukawa defeated the 29-year-old 6-4 in the decider to cruise into the quarterfinals of the men’s individual event.
Archer Deepika Kumari too bowed out of the women’s individual event after losing to An San of South Korea.
Deepika also said the federation should not have decided on her partner for the mixed team event in the Tokyo Olympics based on one performance in the men’s individual ranking round at the showpiece event.
In the men’s individual ranking round, Pravin Jadhav secured the 31st spot while Atanu finished at the 35th spot, and hence Pravin was chosen as Deepika’s partner in the mixed team event. However, heading into the Olympics, Deepika had trained alongside Atanu Das.