India hoped to dominate the opening day, with Jayanta TALUKDAR (IND), the world No.5 in Individual Recurve, competing in the Men's event. Former World Cup Final winner Dola BANERJEE (IND) and highly-rated Deepika KUMARI (IND) photo were looking for strong starts in the Women's event. In fact, it was KUMARI and Dola’s brother Raul BANERJEE who topped the field at the end of qualifications with respectively 679 and 662 points.
Rahul BANERJEE (IND) and Jayanta TALUKDAR (IND) sat atop the Men's Individual Recurve rankings with Jason LYON (CAN) and Chu Sian CHENG (MAS) being equalled in points behind the two Indian athletes.
The score of 662 by former world cadet champion Deepika KUMARI (IND) was enough to claim top position in the Women's Individual Recurve rankings ahead of Tuesday's elimination round, with compatriot Dola BANERJEE (IND) behind her in second. The strong showing means India will be ranked number one in both the Men's and Women's Team Recurve event.
England fielded a strong contingent of six archers including 36-year-old Simon TERRY (ENG) and five-time Olympian Alison WILLIAMSON (ENG), who should both be expecting to progress to the second stage of competition. The English athletes will be satisfied with their performance, as convincing scoring from Larry GODFREY (ENG), Simon TERRY (ENG) and Naomi FOLKARD (ENG) will see them ranked number two in both the Men's and Women's Team event.
Canada and Malaysia will be strong contenders as well in the men’s competition. Jay LYON and Crispin DUENAS (CAN) ranked 3rd and 5th individually, while CHENG Chu Sian and M.I. ABDUL RAHIM (MAS) were 4th and 8th.
For the Australians, three-time Olympian Matthew GRAY (AUS) is the best chance for a medal and will be one to watch. He finished qualifications at 12th place. To note, his teammate Mat MASONWELLS was 9th and the experienced Deone BRIDGER (AUS) was 4th in the women's side.
Finally, Youth Olympian from Bangladesh and Olympic Solidarity scholarship recipient E. H. MILON was 10th in Recurve Men!
Beijing 2008 Paralympian Danielle BROWN (ENG) photo made history today by becoming the first English paralympian to compete at an able-bodied contest when she competed in the qualifying rounds for the Women's Individual Compound event.
The Women's event should be a hotly contested affair featuring for instance Gagandeep KAUR (IND), Lucy O'SULLIVAN (JEY) and England's Nicky HUNT (ENG), who is coming off her World Cup win in Shanghai in September. She performed well, scoring 697 and securing the number two ranking.
The most pleasant performances were for Canada as they finished top of the Women's Compound Team and Individual rankings, thanks to Doris JONES' (CAN) superb score of 698.
South African Seppie CILLIERS (RSA) managed to seal the number one ranking in the Men's Individual Compound event, edging out Duncan BUSBY (ENG) and Stephen CLIFTON (NZL). The Men's Individual Compound had the most number of archers in the qualification rounds with 48 archers who shot in Monday's qualification.
The English team of Duncan BUSBY (ENG), Liam GRIMWOOD (ENG) and Christopher WHITE (ENG) will head into the Men's Team event ranked number one above the South Africans, and will be tough to beat in the elimination rounds.
Source: FITA website
