Neeraj Chauhan stuns three-time Olympic gold medallist to enter recurve individual QF; Dhiraj also progresses

OKAZAKI CITY — Indian recurve archer Neeraj Chauhan stunned three-time Olympic team gold medallist Kim Je-deok of South Korea to reach the men's individual quarter-finals here at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Tuesday. 

Neeraj produced a 6-4 win over Je-deok, who won gold in mixed team and men's team events at Tokyo 2020 and went on to defend a men's team title in Paris 2024.

After taking a 3-1 lead, Neeraj was pegged back to 3-3 before a tied fourth set levelled the match at 4-4. The Indian then held his nerve to win the deciding set and seal victory.

Meanwhile, Dhiraj Bommadevara, who became the second Indian to clinch the recurve men’s title at the Archery World Cup Final earlier this month, also advanced with a 6-2 victory over Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Hsiang-Hui.

Dhiraj will face Uzbekistan’s Amirkon Sadikov, while Neeraj takes on Bhutan’s Dorji Lam in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

In the round of 32, Dhiraj eased past the Philippines’ Girvin Garcia 6-0, winning all three sets, while Neeraj beat Indonesia’s Riau Ega Agata 6-4 after recovering from a 4-0 deficit.

Earlier, Indian men's and women's recurve archery teams advanced to the semifinal after beating China and Taipei in their respective quarterfinals on Sunday.

The men’s team of Dhiraj, Neeraj and Yashdeep Bhoge made their way into the semifinal after beating China 5-1. Meanwhile, the women's team of Kumkum Anil Mohod, Kirti Sharma and Ankita Bhakat advanced to the semifinal after a 6-0 win over Chinese Taipei. Moreover, the recurve mixed duo of Dhiraj and Kumkum Anil Mohod had also sailed into the semifinals.

All three teams will play their semifinals on October 2. The men's team will take on Iran, while the women's team will play against China. The mixed team will lock horns with Japan.

Overall, eight quota places for the LA28 Olympic Games are up for grabs at the Asian Games. Two quota places each are on offer in the recurve men’s and women’s individual events, while the recurve mixed team and compound mixed team champions will each earn one men’s and one women’s quota place.