Das qualifies top at indoor world cup in Bangkok

Less than two days after taking a silver medal with the Indian recurve men’s team at the 2017 Asian Archery Championships, Atanu Das was topping qualification over 18 metres – rather than shooting the 70 metres outdoors – at the second stage of the Indoor Archery World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.

Das scored 594 out of a possible 600 points for the recurve men’s 60-arrow ranking round, one more than second-placed Korean Kim Bongman.

“I’m happy with my shooting. My last indoor was last year, Vegas, and now I had no sighter, no practise, I didn’t have any idea how I was shooting because the first two, three rounds felt very awkward,” said Das.

“The target suddenly became very small [40cm rather than 122cm outdoors], but I managed. There’s much less time indoors, it’s pretty fast.”

Das’ teammate, Deepika Kumari, was third over the recurve women’s qualification with 582, six behind leader Sim Yeji of Korea on 588 points.

Belgium’s Sarah Prieels was top compound woman with 591 and Mike Schloesser first seed in the compound men’s competition on 598 points. 

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Sarah Prieels on her top qualifying round:

“Very good start, I have an average of 590-something over three big competitions. Today wasn’t as good as it could have been. I feel I’ve got more that I can shoot.”

…on her matchplay expectations:

“I had an average of 147 [in Marrakesh] and I feel I could go for more tomorrow. I’m chasing the 150, ’cos, you know, no-one has claimed it yet, the world record.”

Mike Schloesser on the two 10s he missed:

“I was still in the frame of waking up. I should have started a bit stronger; I was a bit weak. My first scoring arrow was just over the 10. I started thinking about it, and on the second end I was correcting that mistake on a shot where there was no mistake. So I definitely shouldn’t think about it.”

…on his approach this indoor season:

“I’m planning my training schedule a bit different than I did last year. I’m trying to be at the highest level in competitions not in practice. Instead of playing with my bows so much I’m just focusing on myself.”

The second stage of the 2017/18 Indoor Archery World Cup takes place in Bangkok, Thailand on 1-3 December 2017.