Deepika falls to world number 2 Lim Sihyeon and returns empty-handed

Deepika Kumari failed to win back-to-back Archery World Cup medals on her international comeback after becoming a mother, losing to world number 2 Lim Sihyeon and number 3 Alejandra Valencia on Sunday.

Indian archers thus returned empty-handed in the recurve category of the Olympic discipline, while winning two medals (one gold and one silver) in the compound bow section of the second stage of the World Cup.

India had won women’s team gold and mixed team silver in the compound event on Saturday, but none of the recurve archers other than Deepika could qualify for the medals.

Lim, a 20-year-old South Korean heavyweight prospect, won 6-2 (28-26, 28-28, 28-27, 27-27) in the semifinals, winning back-to-back victories against the Former world number one. 1 Indian in less than a month.

Deepika, who lost in straight sets to settle for a silver medal at the Shanghai World Cup last month, fought back to take a two-point lead over Lim after drawing in the second and fourth sets.

But her three 8s, shooting into the red circle in the first, third and fourth sets, cost Deepika dearly as Lim sealed the match in four sets.

In the fight for bronze, Deepika lost to Valencia 4-6 (26-29, 26-28, 28-25, 27-25, 26-29).

Deepika continued her miserable run and shot four 8s in the first six arrows to lead 0-4 against the Mexican.

But the Indian bounced back in the next two sets to reach the score at four before falling by the wayside in the deciding fifth set with another poor round. This was Valencia’s second victory against Deepika in four matches.

The two defeats should serve as a wake-up call for Deepika before she trains for a fourth straight Olympics in Paris under South Korean legend Kim Hyung Tak.

Deepika will train under Kim for a second stint in six months before heading towards final qualification for the Olympics at the third stage of the World Cup in Antalya in June.