India got off to a strong start on Tuesday at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou with assured medals in women’s archery, and the men’s rowing team securing a bronze.
Reigning world champion Aditi Swami and top seed Jyothi Surekha Vennam will face each other in the semi-finals in the women's compound individual event. India is assured of at least a silver medal in archery at the Asian Games.
In the men’s archery event, Abhishek Verma and Ojas Deotale have entered the quarterfinals, assuring India of at least a bronze. Former 2014 silver medalist Verma won an intense challenge against Kazakh rival Andrey Tyutyun to make the semifinal. Current world champion Deotale shot 150 out of 150 to breeze past Akbarali Karbayev of Kazakhstan. If they make it past the semifinals, the two Indians could face off in the finals.
In the men’s canoe double 1000m race, Arjun Singh and Sunil Singh sealed a bronze medal after finishing third with a timing of 3:53.329mins.
Uzbekistan's Shokhmurod Kholmuradov and Nurislom Tukhtasin Ugli took gold medal after finishing at 3:43.79mins. Kazakhstan's Timofey Yemelyanov and Sergey Yemelyanov finished second in 3:49.991mins.
The canoeing events started on 30 September and will conclude on Tuesday. Soniya Devi Phairembam is set to participate in the upcoming final of the women's kayak single 500m race.
Meanwhile, the men's kabaddi team won their first match of the tournament against Bangladesh, comfortably clinching a 55-18 victory.
In the medals tally so far, India stands in fourth place with a total of 61 medals, which includes 13 gold, 24 silver, and 24 bronze medals.
