Indian archers seal four spots for Tokyo Paralympics
Indian archers managed to earn two quota places in the recurve and compound sections of the Tokyo Paralympics next year after they fared brilliantly at the World Para Championships. Rakesh Kumar hogged all the limelight after scoring competition best score of 689 points in the ranking round.
In the recurve men’s open section, Harvinder Singh and Vivek Chhikara managed to finish in the joint ninth position to bag the two available spots, while it was Kumar from Jammu to become the first to qualify in the compound men’s open category making it to the bronze play-off. He would be facing Matt Stutzman of the USA on Saturday. Kumar was later joined by Rajasthan’s Shyam Sundar Swami after his joint ninth finish.
There were as many as 16 places remaining for recurve men and 20 berths were up for grabs in the compound men section, which made a top-16 finish assuring automatic qualification.
34-year-old Kumar had suffered a spinal injury in a car crash in 2007 and has since been suffering from limited mobility. Coach Kuldeep picked him as they started training 18 months back at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Sports Complex at Katra.
Kumar, on a wheelchair, has always been accompanied by his 26-year-old brother Ayja and coach. He was also part of the team winning the second leg of the European para archery circuit in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. Earlier this year, Kumar was a team bronze medallist at the Fazza para world ranking in Dubai.