India’s archery campaign at the Olympics ended without a medal after Atanu Das lost to home favourite Takaharu Furukawa 6-4 in an intense five-setter in the men’s individual pre-quarterfinals here on Saturday. Das failed to find a 10 in the fifth set and slipped to the red-circle for an 8 that proved costly as Furukawa sealed the issue by one point margin in the decider.
Das was the lone archer in the fray after his world number one wife Deepika Kumari succumbed to a 0-6 rout by eventual gold medallist An San of Korea on Friday. Two days after knocking out London Olympics gold medalist Oh Jin Hyek in the last-32 match, Das could not overcome the Japanese, a silver medallist in 2012 Olympics, and a team bronze medallist.
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Das bounced back from a 1-3 deficit to level 3-3 as the duo went neck-and-neck in the fourth set before the local favourite sealed the issue in the fifth set by just one point (28-27). Das shot twice in the red-circle (8-8) in his last two arrows of the opening set to lose by two points (25-27).
Starting off with a 10, Das gained control but the Japanese too matched him, shooting an identical 28-28 to split the second set with the Indian trailing 1-3. Das showed fine composure, drilling two 10s en route to taking the fourth set 28-27 but there was more drama in store as both tied the fourth set.
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