Indian Junior Archers Shine at Asia Cup but Struggle with Pressure

India's junior archers clinched nine medals at the Asia Cup Leg 2, including two gold, six silver, and one bronze. However, the persistent issue of buckling under pressure loomed over their commendable performance.

Even after reaching seven out of ten finals in both recurve and compound events, Indian archers managed to finish first only twice. The failures in the remaining finals, with top seeds losing to lower-ranked competitors, underscored a deeper struggle with maintaining composure.

In the Olympic recurve discipline, India notably failed to secure any gold medals. Despite leading in qualification, the men's and mixed recurve teams could not sustain their form in the finals. The compound events offered some solace, with Indians claiming both gold medals, while other matches were marked by narrow losses.

(With inputs from agencies.)