Deepika Kumari’s international comeback after becoming a mother fell short of a successive Archery World Cup medal as she lost to world No 2 Lim Sihyeon and No 3 Alejandra Valencia on Sunday. The Indian archers returned empty-handed in the Olympic discipline recurve category, despite securing two medals in the compound section of the World Cup Stage 2.
The rising 20-year-old from South Korea, Lim, prevailed over the former world No 1 Indian in the semifinal, notching back-to-back wins in less than a month. Deepika managed to put up a fight but her three 8s cost her the match as Lim sealed the victory in four sets.
Fighting for a bronze, Deepika faced Valencia and despite bouncing back to make it four-all, she ultimately fell short in the decisive fifth set. This loss marked Valencia’s second win against Deepika in four matches.
These two losses should serve as a wake-up call for Deepika as she prepares for her fourth consecutive Olympics in Paris under the coaching of South Korean legend Kim Hyung Tak. Deepika will be training under Kim for a second stint in six months before heading to the final Olympics qualification at the World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya in June.
Despite the setbacks, Deepika remains determined to continue her journey in archery and will be looking to bounce back stronger in the upcoming competitions.