Paris Olympics: Bhajan tastes success, Anikta bows out in recurve archery

Paris [France], July 30 (ANI): India’s ace archer Bhajan Kaur stormed into the Round of 16 after defeating Poland’s veteran Wioleta Myzsor in the women’s individual recurve archery on Tuesday at the Paris Olympics.

It was a clean sweep for Bhajan, as she ousted Myzsor with a 6-0 win in the Round of 32. In the opening set, she struck 10, 9, 9 to accumulate 29. In reply, the Polish archer faltered in her first shot and struck 8. She retaliated with two consecutive nines and could only put 26 in the first set.

In the second set, Bhajan struck back-to-back 10s in her first two shots to take the second set out of Myzsor’s grasp and take a 4-0 lead. In the third set, Wioleta struck five in her final shot which sealed her exit from the event.

Bhajan made her way into the Round of 32 after beating Indonesia archer Syifa Nurafifah Kamal by 7-3.

Their contest went right down the wire and Bhajan emerged victorious in the fifth set with a 7-3 win. She had a nervy start to the fixture as she drew the first set and lost the second giving the Indonesian a 3-1 lead.

She bounced back to take away the remaining three sets which sealed her tie against Poland’s Myzsor.

While Bhajan tasted success, a different story unfolded for Ankita Bhakat in the event. It was possible that Bhajan would have faced Ankita Bhakat for a spot in the next round. Things didn’t fall in Ankita’s favour.

After heartbreak in the women’s archery team event, Ankita failed to script a redemption arc in the single’s event.

The 41-year-old Poland archer Myzsor, who is the second-oldest female archer to compete at the Olympics, got the better of the Indian archer with her experience.

Myzsor lost the opening set but bounced back to claim the second. She looked well set to qualify for the next round after her win in the third set, which made the scoreline 4-2.

Myzsor knocked Ankita out of the event, scripting a memorable comeback, to win the game by 6-4.