Tokyo Olympics: Ruman, Diya take Bangladesh to the knockout stage of recurve mixed event

Ruman Sana and Diya Siddique got off to a flying start on the opening day of the Tokyo Olympic Games. They finished 17th and 36th respectively among 64 competitors in their Recurve Individual events in Japan on Friday morning. They have also made it to the 16-team recurve mixed team final event as the last team with a collective score of 1297.

Ruman scored his season-best 662 out of 720 while Diya made 635 out of 720. But they will have to face an uphill task in the first round of elimination when they face the top-ranked South Korea duo - AN San and KIM Je Deok - tomorrow. 

26-year-old Ruman from Bangladesh Ansar had a brilliant start but failed to carry the momentum which led to him finishing on 17th among 64 archers. He finished eighth in the first 36 shots with a score of 337 but in the second turn of 36 shots he only managed to score 325.

He will face 48th-ranked English Tom Hall in the first round of the men's individual elimination round on July 27.

In women's recurve individual, 17-year-old Diya scored 635 out of 720 and secured the 36th spot. Diya bagged 307 in the first 36 shots and 328 in the final 36 shots.

She will face 29th ranked Dziominskaya Karyna of Belarus in the elimination round on July 29.

South Korean archers took the top places in qualification on Friday

The day began with AS San of South Korea breaking the 25-year-old Olympic record in the girls' singles recurve event. She finished in the ranking by getting a maximum of 680 points breaking the previous best of 673.

Her two teammates - Jang Minhee and Kang Chae Young - finished second and third respectively by scoring 677 and 675.

South Korea's female archers hold all the Olympic records and have won every team gold since the first in 1988.

17-year-old Korean phenomenon Kim Je Deok topped the men's ranking round with 688 points.