Indian men's archery team qualifies for London Olympics

Kolkata: Indian men’s archery team comprising Tarundeep Rai, Jayanta Talukdar and Rahul Banerjee secured Olympic berth beating Australians in the qualifiers at Ogden, US today. According to information received here, India thrashed Australia by a handsome 221-209 margin in the semifinals to ensure a place in the next month’s Olympics. [caption id=“attachment_353353” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Rahul Banerjee from India competes in the 2012 Archery World Cup, Olympic team qualifying event June 21, 2012 at the Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden, Utah. AFP”]  [/caption] In the last qualification meet for the Olympics, the trio displayed nerves of steel as they first overwhelmed their opponents from Norway 224-207 to make the quarters. In the last eight, India’s victims were the Canadians, who went down 216-224 as Rai, Talukdar and Banerjee did not look back to prevail over the Aussies in the semis for the much crucial Olympic berth. India have already secured Olympics berth in the women’s section in which Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Chekrovolu Swuro have made the cut. India has made the cut in both the sections, after their 2004 Athens participation. London Games is scheduled from 27 July to 12 August. PTI