Asian Games archery selection: Tarundeep Rai, Ridhi Phor qualify for 2022 Asian Games

Indian archers Tarundeep Rai and Ridhi Phor have booked themselves a place in the Indian squad for the 2022 Asian Games, in the ongoing second phase of the selection trials in Sonipat, Haryana. The Asian Games are slated to take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 10-25, 2022.

Rai, who bagged a historic silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games, was the first archer to book a berth, finishing on top in the men's recurve trial. Meanwhile, Ridhi, a two-time bronze medalist at the Asia Cup, qualified in the women's recurve section.

Former world number one Deepika Kumari, however, is still not through, ranking fifth in the first leg of the final selection trial. She will fight it out to be inside the top-four in the final leg of the trials on Sunday (March 27).

The remaining three spots in both the men's and women's categories will be finalized following the round-robin matches on Sunday.

The Indian archery team that qualifies for the 2022 Asian Games will also compete at the 2022 World Cups as well as the 2022 World Games.

Atanu Das fails to qualify for 2022 Asian Games

Olympian Atanu Das has not been in the best of touch ever since an early exit at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. World No. 9 Das lost out to his Tokyo Olympics teammate Pravin Jadhav in the pre-quarterfinals to finish outside the top eight at the selection trials.

The 29-year-old, who was excluded from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) recently, finished second in the just-concluded 41st Senior National Archery Championship at MA Stadium in Jammu.

Das managed a second-place finish after losing to fifth-ranked Sachin 2-6 in the summit clash.

In the individual event, PSPB archer Das, who qualified seventh, defeated Atul Verma (6-0), Ashutosh Mishra (6-0), veteran Tarundeep Rai (6-1), and Paras Hooda (6-4).