Fatin makes confidence-boosting start in Nagoya

NAGOYA: Compound archer Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh is feeling confident ahead of Sunday's women's team event after opening her campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a solid performance in qualifying on Saturday.

Fatin scored 700 - 349 in the first half and 351 in the second - to place 11th overall at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park.

Her teammates Iman Aisyah Norazam (693) and Aina Syazwana Abdul Muhaimin (683) placed 23rd and 35th respectively from the 53 archers who competed.

Fatin and Iman have now secured their qualification for the first round of the individual event which will be held on Monday.

They will first compete in the team event on Sunday. The trio qualified eighth in the team event on a combined 2,076.

The highly-experienced Fatin, who claimed silver at the Archery World Cup earlier this year, said she is feeling confident in Nagoya.

"It rained a bit this morning and there was some wind but personally, I feel that I performed okay this morning," said the national record holder.

"I was a bit off on some shots but they were not too bad. To shoot 700, which is not far from the national record (704) means I am confident with my shooting.

"We will play the team event first tomorrow and we will give it our best. Archery is a mental game, we all have to be very focused."

In the men's individual recurve qualifiers, Evan Rich Chong Qi Wei secured his place in the first round after placing 20th in qualifying on 619.

Teammates Haiqal Danish (596) and Quik Chern Xin (594) placed 40th and 43rd respectively.

The trio placed 13th overall in the team event on 1,809. The team event will be held on Sunday.