Tokyo: Indian challenges in open arches of a compound men ended after Rakesh Kumar lost to the former Xinliang AI world champion from China in a tight quarter-final battle in the Paralympic match here on Tuesday.
Rakesh Third seed, who had shot the best Indian qualifying score 699 from the possibility of 720 in round ratings, found a difficult time against the 2016 Olympics open Champion to lose to two points (143-145) at Yumenoshima Park here.
The 24-year-old China, who is the ruling Asian Games champion, made a strong start to shoot 30 while Rakesh scored 29 to be guided with just one point.
Xinliang extended the leadership with two points at the second end before the 36-year-old Indian child reduced a deficit with one point in the middle of the road.
Rakesh Rakesh Round which is perfect in the last two ends when the Chinese maintains its supremacy to close the last four beds.
In the pre-quarter-finals, Rakesh got back from behind to Oant Marian Marecak, a 49-year-old 49-year-old Olympics from Slovakia.
Two 8 at the two ends saw Indian traces with three points when he slowly stepped before the perfect fourth end – three 10s including two xs (closest to the center) – took him past Slovak 111-108.
Both of them shot 29-all who was identical at the last late enough for Rakesh to make the last eight.
In their second paralympic appearance, India will now look at Vivek Chikara and Harvinder Singh who will open their campaign at the Open Recurve on Friday.
The 2019 Asia Championship winner Vivek Chikara finished in 109 points Top-10 points, ahead of the 2018 Asian Games Champion Harvinder Singh who qualified as the 21st seed.