Archers aim to secure Olympic places in France

Bangladesh's archery contingent is all set to leave for France this morning, where they will take part in two tournaments -- the Final Qualification tournament for Tokyo Olympic and the Archery World Cup Stage-3 -- with hopes of securing Olympic quotas ahead of Tokyo Olympics in July-August in Japan.

Bangladesh have already secured a quota place in Tokyo Olympics, with country's ace archer Ruman Sana qualifying to the individual recurve event.

With 128 archers -- 64 women and as many men -- eligible for five events at the Tokyo Olympics, the final qualification tournament in Paris will offer three quotas each for the men's and women's recurve team as well as some individual spots depending on the outcomes of men's and women's team events.

"We had a good result in the mixed event in the Archery World Cup in Switzerland. The women's team had also played well for the first time but we have to go forward step by step," German coach Martin Fredrick said at a press conference yesterday. 39 nations will be competing for the top three spots in men's recurve team while 28 countries will compete for the top three spots in the women's recurve team in the Final Qualification tournament, which gets underway tomorrow.

Bangladesh's Ruman Sana, Ram Krishna Shaha, Hakim Ahmed Rubel and Abdur Rahman Alif will compete in individual and team events while Diya Siddique, Beauty Roy, Mehnaz Akhter Monira and Nasrin Akter will be participating in women's individual and team events. All archers will also take part in Archery World Cup Stage-3, beginning from June 21 at the same venue.