Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 23

The Archery Association of India (AAI) has decided to field Pravin Jadhav with Deepika Kumari in the mixed team event at the Tokyo Games. Jadhav earned his ticket for the mixed team after scoring 656 points in the individual men’s recurve qualification round, which placed him at 31st position. He was the highest-placed Indian in the draw, four places above Atanu Das.

The decision, taken by the technical committee, was communicated to archery coach Mim Bahadur Gurung.

Deepika, it is said, was upset and tried to get Das in the team but lack of time meant the decision was final. As per the rules, AAI had to send the names of the mixed team within 45 minutes of the end of qualification rounds. “The technical committee quickly met and decided to pair Pravin with Deepika. We are not against any pairing, but selections have to be done on merit,” AAI secretary general Pramod Chandurkar, who was part of the technical committee, told The Tribune.

Chandurkar clarified that once the team has been entered and updated on the website, the rules forbid any last-minute changes.

Stuttering start

Deepika, being the lone Indian woman archer in the competition, was hoping to partner husband Das. The pair had won the mixed team gold medal at last month’s Paris World Cup.

However, their hopes were dashed after a disappointing qualification round for Das. He garnered 653 points, while the third member of the team, veteran Tarundeep Rai, was placed 37th with 652 points.

In addition, world No. 1 Deepika had a miserable time during qualification as she finished ninth with 663 points. She is likely to face South Korea’s An San, who broke the Olympics qualification record with 680 points, in the quarterfinals.

The low scores have ensured that the Indians’ chances of qualifying for the medal matches in the men’s team as well as the mixed team events have decreased significantly.

The mixed pair is ranked ninth with a combined score of 1,319 points. Similarly, the men’s team is ranked ninth with a total of 1961 points.

Mirabai looking to exorcise ghosts of Rio Games

Former world champion Mirabai Chanu will be in focus for her medal-winning chances as the Indian hopes to exorcise the ghosts of her disappointing show at the 2016 Rio Games and write a new chapter in the country’s weightlifting history. Competing in the 49kg category, Chanu is being considered a sure-shot medal prospect for India as her personal best of 205kg is only second to China’s Hou Zhihui’s effort of 213kg in the eight-woman field. pti