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Indian archer Deepika Kumari qualified for the Round of 32 after beating Reena Parnat of Estonia in a closely contest opening clash. The Paris Olympics 2024 haven't been great for the 30-year-old as the Indian women’s archery team bowed out after a shocking defeat against the Netherlands 0-6 in the quarter-final stage.
But in the individual event, Deepika Kumari showed off her class to register a thrilling victory via Shoot-Off against her Estonian counterpart at the Esplanade des Invalides. The Indian archer started on a positive note with a 2-0 lead in the 1st Set. Deepika shot 10, 10, 9 totaling 29 while Reena registered 9, 9, 10 and put forth a combined score of 28.
The second set saw then Parnat come to level the score with shots of 8, 10 and 9 while the Indian shot 8, 9, 9. Set 3 saw a tie between the two competitors with scores of 27 across the board. The excitement started here as Parnat won Set 4 before Kumari came back to take Set 5.
With the scoreboard saying 5-5 after the fifth set, Deepika Kumari and Reena Parnat had a shootout to decide the winner. Here, the Indian archer emerged victorious as both competitors shot an 8 but Kumari qualified as her shot was closer to the centre. The 30-year-old from Ranchi will face Quinty Roeffen of the Netherlands in the Round of 32.
