India, Sept. 30 -- Jyothi Surekha Vennam is 30, a veteran of compound archery in India who has been there and done that for years. Chikitha Taniparthi is 21 and Prithika Pradeep just 18, both fairly new to the elite world of archery and certainly to the multi-sport stage of an Asian Games.

One laughed, one grinned and one barely even smiled after the job was done. They're of different age groups, different personalities and at different stages of their careers. Collectively, though, they came together to deliver the first gold for India in archery at the 2026 Asian Games.

The Indian women's compound team defeated China 238-234 in the final on Wednesday. It was one of the most clinical shows by an Indian archery group in a big final, wit...