Das seeds third at Indoor World Cup in Bangkok

Hyundai Steel’s Gye Dong Hyun and Ku Bonchan, the reigning Olympic Champion, finished first and second in recurve men’s qualification – on 597 and then 594 points – at the second stage of the 2016/17 Indoor Archery World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ranked third, one point behind Ku, was Indian Olympian Atanu Das.

“I was thinking I would be able to shoot a perfect score – 300 and 300 – but unfortunately I didn’t,” he said. Das started the round exceptionally, shooting 24-straight 10s before dropping a single point.

He said the tournament was only his third competition over 18 metres indoors, after attending one in 2013 and one in 2014.

“I didn’t realise it was such a good competition. There’s no wind. The temperature is cool so that’s good. The competition is tough and the 10-ring is little compared to outdoors. I enjoy it,” Das added. “In one target, there are many faces. One face, one arrow – I like that.”

Having finished ninth in his Olympic debut in Rio, the 24-year-old said he was motivated to improve his level following the Games.

“I’m trying to more and more upgrade myself in my mind. I compete with myself only – but next to great archers and, we are all friends, learn from them and upgrade myself,” he said.

Twenty-seven archers from India travelled to compete in the second stage of the international indoor archery circuit.

The second stage of the 2016/17 Indoor Archery World Cup runs 10/11 December 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Biographies