The Indian mixed archery team of Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara lost 2-6 to USA in a hard-fought bronze medal play-off of the Olympic Games here on Friday.
The Indian team had scripted history by entering the semifinals of the Games for the first time.
But the duo lost 37-38 35-37 38-34 35-37 to the American combination of Casey Kaufhold and Brady Ellison to bow out without a medal.
Earlier, Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara, achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the semifinals at the Olympic Games for the first time. They secured a memorable 5-3 victory over Spain on Friday.
The match scores were 38-37, 38-38, 36-37, and 37-36. With this victory, India is just one win away from ending the country's 36-year wait for an Olympic medal in archery.
Ankita, a 26-year-old from Kolkata, and the young Dhiraj Bommadevara started strong by taking the first set 38-37, firing two 10s and two 9s, which gave them a 2-0 lead. The Spanish team, consisting of Elia Canales and Pablo Acha Gonzalez, fought back in the second set, matching India with a score of 38-all to share the points.
India's 3-1 advantage was neutralised in the third set following a below par 36, courtesy a poor shot which fetched the team an '8'.
However, in the fourth and last set, the Indians held their nerves to win the nerve-wracking contest 37-36 and notch two full points and secure a semifinal spot, their best ever showing in the quadrennial showpiece.
Earlier, the Indian recurve mixed team had produced an excellent performance to rally past Indonesia and enter the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics here on Friday.
Inputs from PTI