Asian Games
'3 more chances of Olympic quota': Atanu Das happy to not return empty-handed, but remembers bigger picture
Atanu Das has won his first Asian Games medal on his third appearance after 2014 and 2018
India's men's recurve archery team of Tushar Shelker, Atanu Das and Dhiraj Bommadevara (AGNS)
Fresh after winning India's first silver medal in recurve archery at the Asian Games, Atanu Das said he is relieved to finally have an Asiad medal to add to his trophy cabinet, but added that the aim of securing an Olympic quota remains on his agenda.
Atanu had been part of the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games too, but this is the first time ever that an Indian recurve team, whether in the men's or women's category, had reached the final at the Asian Games
"Finally I'm not going home empty-handed. It feels amazing, we fought like warriors and we're happy with it," Atanu said on Friday.
On his hopes for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Atanu said, "We still don't have the quota and in the Asian Championship we will have a good chance to earn the quota. Our second chance is the world ranking and our third chance will be the stage three of next year's World Cup so we have three more chances but it will be tough and we will have to be tougher."
The men's recurve team, consisting of Atanu Das, Tushar Shelke, and Dhiraj Bommadevara, secured a historic silver medal at the Asian Games 2023, on Friday.
They lost the final against South Korea 1-5 after beating Bangladesh in the semifinals 5-3
It had been in 2006 when India clinched their inaugural bronze medal in the Men's Recurve Team category. But with the recurve archers experiencing a slump in fortunes, this Asian Games silver will be of special value.
