Paris: Veteran archer Deepika Kumari’s Olympic journey came to an end on Saturday as she succumbed to a 4-6 loss to Korea’s Suhyeon Nam in the women’s individual event quarterfinals, marking the conclusion of India’s archery campaign at the Paris Olympics.
Earlier in the day, Deepika had displayed resilience by defeating Germany’s Michelle Kroppen 6-4 to secure her place in the quarterfinals. However, the pressure of the crucial match against Nam proved too overwhelming.
Deepika had previously defeated the 19-year-old Nam in straight sets during the semifinals at the Shanghai World Cup in April, which earned her a silver medal. Unfortunately, she could not replicate that performance on the Olympic stage. The quarterfinal clash was intense, with both archers tied at 4-4 after four sets. Nam’s consistency ultimately secured her victory as she claimed the decisive fifth set.
Reflecting on her performance, Deepika’s inconsistency was evident. Scores of six and seven in the second and fourth sets hindered her progress. In the first set, she recorded a 28-26 score, earning two points. The second set saw her hit a 10, 6, and 9, allowing Nam to level the match by winning the set 28-25.
Deepika regained the lead by winning the third set 29-28 with two 10s. However, her scores of 10, 7, and 10 in the fourth set led to a 27-29 loss. In the deciding fifth set, Deepika scored 9, 9, and 9, while Nam’s impressive scores of 10, 9, and 10 secured her place in the semifinals.
Despite her efforts, Deepika’s below-par performance in the team event continued to draw criticism. Her inability to maintain consistency ultimately cost her the match and brought India’s archery hopes to an end at the Paris Olympics.