Ace archer Deepika Kumari kept herself in line for a hat-trick of gold medals as India made it to the summit clash in four categories, including the compound section, at the World Cup Stage III in Ogden, U.S.
India also remains in contention for a bronze medal as the men’s recurve team of Jayanta Talukdar, Thupuvoyi Swuro and Viswash take on Ukraine for a third place play-off.
Deepika (17), who has already qualified for London Olympics, got the better of Ukrainian Kateryn Palekha en route to the individual recurve final before helping the team, which has Laishram Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro as other members, into the summit clash.
But the most satisfying result came in the compound section where the women’s team of Jhano Hansdah, Gagandeep Kaur and Manjudha Soy stunned their French opponents to become the first Indian women’s team to reach the World Cup finals.
The trio of Hansdah, Kaur and Soy logged a total of 2029 points to finish second in the qualification.
The team easily went past Mexico 230-221 in the first round of eight, while they thrashed France in the semis to set up a tough final against the hosts who topped the qualification round.
Deepika, who had made it to the final in the mixed pair event alongside Jayanta Talukdar, beat Kateryn Palekha 6-4 in the semifinals.
The teenager from Ranchi earlier defeated Yutin Fang of China 6-5 in the individual section. She will face Chinese Ming Cheng for the individual women’s recurve gold.
Having made it to the elimination round after finishing third in qualifications, the women’s recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro thrashed Chile (205-184) and Britain (214-207) before stunning China (209-207) in the semifinals to set up the summit clash against Ukraine.
Meanwhile the men’s recurve team, which finished sixth in the qualifications only to go down to China in the semifinals, will be in contention for a bronze medal.
India beat Iran 224-218 in the pre-quarters, before getting the better of France 224-222.
But it was a heartbreak for the trio of Talukdar, Viswash and Swuro who lost a close encounter to China 222—22, in the semifinals to set up a date with the Ukrainians for the bronze medal play-off.
