Kolkata: Fancied recurve archers including world No. 3 Deepika Kumari returned empty-handed as India finished a poor ninth in the World Cup Stage II that concluded in Antalya, Turkey on Sunday.
According to information received here, India with a solitary silver medal in the mixed team event of the compound section finished ninth along with Austria in the medal standings.
Korea reigned supreme with seven medals including three gold and three silver, while China (2-0-2) and Denmark (2-0-1) finished second and third respectively. Rajat Chouhan and Manjudha Soy had on Saturday earned the lone silver medal as Indian heavyweight archers including Jayanta Talukdar and Deepika Kumari made early exits.
Powered by Deepika's two silver medal effort along with a bronze in compound, India had a creditable fourth place finish at the World Cup Stage I in Shanghai last month.
But the World No 3 had a pathetic 33rd place finish in the individual section, while in the team event they finished fifth as it hurt India's cause in the second major international tournament of this season.
India's best bet in the men's recurve, Talukdar, who bagged the mixed silver along with Deepika in Shanghai World Cup, was no better finishing an identical 33rd in the individual section while the team finished ninth.
It will be a reality check for the Korean coach Lim Chae Woong, who returned to the national side after many years.
But the silver lining was national champion Chouhan's splendid effort with Manjudha as the archers kept improving in the compound section, having improved their bronze medal feat of Shanghai.
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