Ankita Bhakat has started India's campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024 on a high note by securing a direct qualification to the quarterfinals in women's archery team event. The 26-year-old archer came out as the standout performer among the three Indian archers, finishing 11th with an impressive score of 666 points. This performance secured India's place in the quarterfinals in women's archery, ahead of her teammates Bhajan Kaur, who finished 22nd with 659 points, and Deepika Kumari, former World No.1, who secured the 23rd spot with 658 points.

The Indian team, with a total score of 1983 points, secured the fourth position, standing behind South Korea (2046 points), China (1996 points), and Mexico (1986 points). This strong start allowed India to advance directly to the quarterfinals of the competition, a big achievement for the team.

quarterfinals in women's archery
Image Source: Olympic Games Paris 2024

Ankita Bhakat's amazing performance on Day 1 got considerable attention as she delivered her season's best performance. Prior to the Paris Olympics, Ankita had already demonstrated her skills by winning a bronze medal in the women's team recurve event at the Asian Games 2023. In this event, she competed alongside Simranjeet Kaur and Bhajan Kaur, showing her skills and contributing to the team's success.

Continuing her form, Ankita performed at the World Archery Olympic Qualifier 2024 in Antalya, Turkey. She reached the quarterfinals, securing her berth for the Paris Olympics. Despite her strong performance, she was eventually defeated by Mobina Fallah of Iran in the quarterfinals.

Ankita Bhakat's journey in archery began at the young age of 10 when she started her training at the Calcutta Archery Club. She later joined the Archery Academy in Jamshedpur, where she polished her skills and developed into a powerful archer. Her dedication and hard work have been evident in her performances on the international stage.

As the competition progresses, India is set to face the winner of the contest between France and the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. A victory in this match would set up a semifinal showdown with the Korean women's team, who have been dominant in Olympic archery, winning their ninth medal in Tokyo.

Korea's Lim Sihyeon, in the individual section, set a new world record with a score of 694 to top the standings, while Suhyeon Nam finished second with 688 points. These performances show the challenges that the Korean team will pose in the upcoming rounds.

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