Kolkata, July 18, 2009:
India earned full quota places for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. India’s Atanu Das and Seema Verma stood second and 13th to grab the 17 places available in each category at Ogden (Utah) in the U.S. on Friday.
The Games’ qualifying tournament offered a maximum of two places, one each in men’s and women’s section, to each country. India fielded all the six junior recurve archers – three in each group – in the qualifier. Recurve bow is the only recognised archery event in Olympics. Quota places are allotted to countries and not to individual archers.
Out of 84 men and 61 women from 42 countries entered the fray, the three Indian men – Atanu Das, Pawan Xalxo and Hemanta Basumatary – did extraordinarily well. Das, who had to bow out in the quarterfinals of the Youth world meet the previous day, provided the silver-lining to India’s Youth Olympic Games’ campaign by moving into the final and ending second best. He lost to Korean Kim Woojin who led 28-24, 57-52, 85-80 and 114-109 to clinch the top place, according to information received here on Saturday.
His compatriots, Xalxo was seventh and Basumatary finished 13th. This meant all the three Indians finished within 17, but as per the rule only one quota place was allotted to India. Seema Verma managed to occupy the 13th place. Her teammates Sumita Kumari (30th) and Balemai Hansda (49th) finished way behind.
Seema eliminated two higher ranked opponents in the first two rounds and moved into top 16 where she lost to end 13th overall. By then she had ensured a berth for India.
Only 10 countries, China, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Chinese Taipei and Ukraine, managed to book full quota places. Seven more countries had one quota either in the men’s or women’s sections respectively.
Source: Indian Archery Association press release
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