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Indian women archers win gold, men silver at World Cup

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IANS Wroclaw (Poland)

There was mixed news for the Indian archery contingent at the World Cup stage 4 with the women's recurve team clinching gold while the men's recurve team settled for silver here Sunday.

India beat Mexico 6-0 without surrendering a single set point to bag the recurve women's gold medal.

Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Deepika Kumari was the star of the show shooting three of the Indian team's five 10s.

"The match wasn't too difficult," said Deepika. "Hopefully we can do the same at the Asian Games."

"This event has already raised our confidence. We have had a difficult season, but the hard work we've put in ahead of Incheon is starting to pay off."

 

The 17th Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Incheon, South Korea Sep 19-Oct 4.

China swept Georgia in a one-sided bronze medal match to round up the top three.

In the men's team final, Mexico took a 2-0 lead and never looked back. India had to settle for silver losing 3-5.

India trailed 2-4 in the fourth set with Mexico's anchor archer Juan Rene Serrano only needing a red to seal the match.

"Everything was in my mind," said Serrano about that last arrow. "It wasn't too good - but good enough to win."

Needing a seven to draw the fourth set and win the match -- Mexico were already leading 4-2, Serrano shot and turned quickly off the line without looking to see where his arrow had landed: "I knew I just had to put my arrow in the red to win the match."

"When I heard the announcer calling 'seven', I was relieved!"

The only right-handed archer in Mexico's team here, Juan Rene shot last in the trio's rotation. He said that Luis Alvarez and Pedro Vivas made his job easy.

It is a second lifetime World Cup stage team gold for Mexico. The other was won at Medellin last year.

Russia lost the recurve men's bronze medal match to China.

The Russian team improved each end, but China had built too much of a lead after winning the first two sets.

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First Published: Aug 10 2014 | 5:28 PM IST

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