Deepika qualifies for 2nd stage, leads team into last 16

Guangzhou: Teenage archer Deepika Kumari led the Indian women's archery team into the pre-quarterfinals of the Asian Games competition with a creditable display, which also helped her qualify for the next round along with another budding youngster Rimil Buriuly.

While more fancied compatriots Dola Banerjee and Laishram Bombayla Devi put up a flop show today.

Jamshedpur-based Deepika, who was the best Indian archer in the Commonwealth Games with a gold medal to her credit, entered the second stage by finishing seventh after shooting 1329.

Rimil stood 17th amongst 52 archers with 1298, but former world champion Dola and Bombayla exited after ending up at a distant 28th and 29th with 1270 and 1264 points respectively.

Dola will continue to be part of the team which will take on Vietnam for a place in quarterfinals on Saturday.

South Korea's Yun Okhee set a new Games record with a total of 1371.

Deepika fired 326 over a distance of 70m, 333 over 60m, 323 and 347 over 50 and 30m. The Indian shot 64 ten pointers and 17 times hit the bulls-eye.

Rimil shot 309, 325, 313 and 345 in that series and she had 47 ten pointers and 18 golden hits.

Dola brought in a disappointing 313, 313, 296 and 342 while Bombayla did 320, 321, 296 and 333.

Archery Association of India secretary Paresh Mukherjee was disappointed with the women's off target shooting which he described as "very poor".

"We were expecting better show from them but it was not to be," he said.

He pointed out that decision to include Dola in the team event, instead of Bombayla, was taken because she was the more experienced among the two.

"We hope she would be able to withstand the pressure (in the team event) though Bombayla did better in the individual event," he said.