Paralympics: Suresh, Coach Hoping For History To Repeat Itself

From Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

PARIS, Aug 29 (Bernama) - National champion archer S. Suresh is scheduled to meet Eric Bennett of the United States, whom he had defeated when emerging as the 2019 world champion, in the elimination round of the men's 1/16 open recurve at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Although finishing the men's open individual recurve ranking round in 12th position with 625 points at the Invalides, the 31-year-old archer can proudly hold his head high as he renewed his personal best record of 596 points that was set during the Para Archery World Ranking Event in the Czech Republic, Last June.

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Bennett ended today's competition in 21st place with 602 points while the home representative Guillaume Toucoullet (FRA) dominated the ranking round with 652 points.

The head coach of the national archery squad Marzuki Zakaria who was happy with the result of Suresh hoped that he can maintain the momentum in the next round scheduled to take place on Sept 4.

“I hope that past history (the 2019 Para World Archery Championship final) will repeat itself for Suresh when he faces Eric Bennett,” he told Bernama.

In the meantime, Marzuki was also proud of the encouraging performance of another national archer Nur Jannaton Abdul Jalil who also renewed her season best record despite making her debut in the Paralympics in the open women's individual compound event. 

Nur Jannaton scored 649 points to rank 24th thus surpassing her previous record of 615 points set at the Fazza World Archery Ranking Championship in Dubai, last March.

The 28-year-old dwarf archer will take on Sarita from India in the elimination round /16 tomorrow after the Indian finished in ninth position with 682 points.

-- BERNAMA