Rio Games: India archers tame wind, Colombia for quarters spot

RIO DE JANEIRO: And the wind, cried Mary. Under the benign gaze of the Redeemer, who looks over most of Rio and the venue of the Olympics archery competition, the Sambadrome with its iconic inverted 'W' meant, believe this, to symbolize a bent Brazilian woman's rear looming over the targets, the Indian girls managed to hold their nerves in the eliminator against Colombia, winning 5-3 (205-197) to set up a quarterfinal meeting with a strong Russian Federation side for later in the afternoon.
It did not come easy.After taking an early two-point first set lead (52-51), Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Manjhi soon relinquished that vital advantage in the second (49-50), to be staring at a tough struggle ahead as the elements barged in to be a factor.
It was those kinds of a Sunday where the wind, free from weekday work, wolf-whistled through the trees; scarves fluttered, caps flew away, hoardings keeled over and the flying dust got into your eyes, food and your minds.
Many arrows shot straight flew to the sun. It was so tough, so demanding that Colombia's Carolina Aguirre, all down to her in the final set, broke down as the pressure got to her. "I couldn't control my last arrow, and that is why I'm really emotional," she sobbed as the Indians heaved a sigh of relief. With a 52-44 arrow count, the fourth set and the tie was India's.
Up until then, after splitting a point each in the third set, the Colombian trio of Aguirre, Ana Rendon and Natalia Sanchez, seemed to be gaining in confidence as the fray entered the final fourth, and as the elements began working to India's disadvantage, things could have gotten very tight.
They did, but the Indians girls looked in, borrowed from experience, kept the shooting consistent and hoped for the Colombians to disintegrate. They did.
It was not the same kind of situation that the Indian women encountered on the opening day of the archery competition two days ago. This was worse.
Then, they had begun strongly, placed third in the morning to steadily slip as the afternoon wore and the breeze grew strong. "Kya karein, try kiya, nahi lagaa," Deepika had said distractedly later that day, as the team ended eventually seventh to set up this Colombia clash.
The lone silver-lining, coaches Dharamender Tiwary and Purnima Mahato saw when the dust settled, was that they were out of the way of the trail-blazing Koreans so early on. It is a tougher, longer path with the Russian Federation up next, but the Indians have been here before and can find their way. Most importantly, they know they can graft to get beneath the wind and find a way home.