World Archery Championships 2023: B Dhiraj finishes second in ranking round

During the opening day of the World Archery Championships 2023, which began in Berlin on Tuesday, many athletes showed promising performances. Among them, B. Dhiraj of India was one to stand out with his elite offerings.

In the recurve men's qualification round, Dhiraj proved his mettle and stayed ahead of his compatriots by every means with 683 points. With his dedicated efforts, he was left just behind Kim Woojin. Woojin, who belongs to Korea and has been a World and Olympic gold medalist, earned first place.

Dhiraj narrowly missed the coveted first position, being just five points away from Woojin. The Korean sensation scored the maximum points 46 times on his way to pave the way to the top spot. Dhiraj shot 10s and Xs 42 times and his performances are worthy enough of praise.

Other athletes from India, despite trying hard, could not elevate their ranks much. Tushar Shelke and Mrinal Chauhan, competing alongside Dhiraj, were ranked 55th and 83rd, respectively, on the charts of World Archery Championships 2023.

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Ankita Bhakat ends up in 31st place in recurve archers event in World Archery Championships 2023

As far as women's competition is concerned, experienced Ankita Bhakat ended the play's stint with 639 points. As a result, she emerged as the 'best woman' from the country and secured 31st place. Among the other competing athletes were Bhajan Kaur and Simranjeet Kaur, who finished in 45th and 51st places.

Among the top eight, Dhiraj is the only Indian to make rounds and is eager to carry on these performances in the forthcoming days of the World Archery Championships 2023.

The contest holds immense significance for recurve archers and others alike, as it will pave the way for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Marking the start of the qualification period for the prestigious tournament, the top three countries and the top three archers (men and women each) will win the Olympic quota for their respective countries.