Tokyo: Indian archers will start their Tokyo Olympics campaign with a ranking round in Tokyo from Friday, July 23, and would like to forget the bitter memories of past Olympic performances. Even though the women’s team failed to qualify, the quartet of Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Tarundeep Rai, and Praveen Jadhav has reached Tokyo with the hope of getting the country its first Olympic medal in the sport. The highest hopes are from the husband-wife duo of Das and Dipika, who would like to create the magic of the Paris World Cup mixed doubles event at Yumenoshima Park, where the event will make its Games debut on Saturday.
After the 1988 Games, India has given many champions in this sport, in which Limba Ram and then Dola Banerjee won medals in all level competitions but could not do so in the Olympics. Jayant Talukdar became the world’s number two archer in 2006, while Dola Banerjee raised hopes by becoming world champion in 2007, but all these failed in Beijing 2008. After this, Deepika was attracted by winning the 2009 Youth World Championship at the age of 15, and then the next year at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games, she won two gold medals. But in London 2012, she was knocked out in the first round itself and the entire Indian team failed to make any impact. For four years there was no improvement in Rio de Janeiro.
Two-time number one archer, who is participating in the third consecutive Olympics, has seen the performance of the last two Olympics. Five years later, the Ranchi archer is in scintillating form and has won five World Cup gold medals recently. The biggest challenge for Deepika as experienced than ever is dealing with Korean archers, who are mentally and physically strong.
Indian schedule for the first day i.e. 23rd July
Archery
Women’s Individual Ranking Round
Timings: 530 AM to 7.30 AM
Indian participant: Deepika Kumari
Men’s Individual Ranking Round
Timings: 9.30 AM to 11.30 AM
Indian Participants: Atanu Das, Praveen Yadav, Tarundeep Rai
Where in India to watch the archery match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics can be streamed live in India with English commentary on Sony TEN 2, Sony TEN 2 HD, Sony Six, and Sony SIX HD TV channels. Tokyo 2020 will be broadcast live in regional languages on Sony TEN 3, Sony TEN 3 HD, Sony TEN 4, and Sony TEN 4 HD.
Live streaming of the Tokyo Olympics will be available on Sony Liv.
Sony Sports Networks will decide all types of broadcasts.
Apart from this, DD Sports will broadcast the Tokyo Olympics live daily, while other channels of Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) will broadcast special programs on the conduct of these global games. Various sports events in the Olympics will be telecast live on DD Sports daily from 5 am to 7 pm.
DD Sports will produce an over four-hour discussion-based program with sports personalities ahead of the start of the Tokyo Olympics, which will contribute to the ‘Cheer for India’ campaign. According to the program schedule shared by the ministry, AIR Capital Station, FM Rainbow Network, DRM (AIR’s digital radio), and other stations of AIR will broadcast a ‘Curtain-Razor’ program on the Tokyo Olympics on 22 July. “The program will also be broadcast on YouTube channel, DTH and ‘NewsOnAIR’ mobile app within the territory of India,” the ministry said.
At the same time, periodic information will be broadcast on FM Rainbow from 24 July. “Whenever India wins a medal, breaking news may also be broadcast on FM channels,” the ministry said. “AIR will telecast ‘off-tube commentary’ of selected hockey matches and select badminton matches,” the ministry said.
