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Kaur wins final Olympic qualifier to finally book women’s ticket for India

16 June 2024

Antalya, Turkiye

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Archers from India, Iran, Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan qualified recurve women’s quota places to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the final qualifier today in Antalya, Türkiye.

With eight spots available, the critical matches fell in the round of 16.

Ankita Bhakat was first up for India in the match order and her straight-set win over Gabrielle Bidaure would secure the quota – but after Bhakat fell in the quarterfinals, the event’s eventual winner Bhajan Kaur is the official recipient.

“The biggest things I should have are confidence and belief in myself,” said the 18-year-old, who never lost more than a single set in any match at this tournament.

“There was pressure throughout but I had the self-belief that if others can do it, why can't I?”

The spot brings India’s total to two – one man and one woman – but there is a strong chance the Indian quotas will be upgraded to teams with the squads currently in position to receive one of the two available invites issued on the world ranking list on 24 June.

“Practice, practice and more practice,” said Kaur on her plans for the next 40 days in the lead-up to the Games.

Each nation could win a maximum of one quota place for Paris today and the tickets were not given to finishers outside of the top eight. With only seven eligible archers making the quarterfinals, thanks to two of the eight being from India, one individual spot will also be awarded on world ranking after the team allocation.

Iran’s Mobina Fallah produced the bracket of her life during today’s matchplay.

After struggling in the last 32 and needing a shoot-off to beat Greece’s Dimitra Papadopoulou, she delivered a perfect 30 to beat Kazakhstan’s Yelizaveta Avdeyeva in the critical last 16.

“It was the fourth time I came close to getting an Olympic ticket. I’m very happy to finally get it,” she said.

Fallah’s ticket was the first for Iran at these Games.

Denisa Barankova’s was the first for Slovakia, Wioleta Myszor’s the first for Poland and Yaylagul Ramazanova’s is now the first for Azerbaijan, marking the country’s second appearance in the recurve women’s competition at the Olympics after Rio 2016.

A disappointing result today for six-time Olympian Evangelia Psarra.

The 50-year-old’s campaign to become the first archer to appear at seven Games ended in the second round when she fell, in straight sets, to Vietnam’s Trieu Huyen Diep. There is an outside chance that Psarra could be reallocated a place over the next month – if there are returns – but it looks very, very unlikely.

The last quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games available to win in competition – five in the recurve men’s individual event – will be won tomorrow in Antalya.

Podium: Recurve women

Alexandra Mirca (Moldova), Denisa Barankova (Slovakia), Wioleta Myszor (Poland) and Yaylagul Ramazanova (Azerbaijan) also booked Olympic quotas with top-eight finishes.