Nagoya, Sept. 30 -- India's compound mixed archery pair of Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav claimed the gold medal and secured a 2028 Olympic quota place by beating Korea in a tense shoot-off at the Asian Games here on Wednesday after the women's team also finished on top in the same event.
Both teams successfully retained the crowns that India had won in the previous edition of the Games in Hangzhou. Chikitha and Sahil showed nerves of steel to prevail over Korea's Jungyoon Park and Choi Eun Gyu in a thrilling final, winning 158-157 after a shoot-off. China's Fangyao F Wei and Jinyi Liu won the bronze medal. The Indian duo had entered the gold-medal match after beating Thailand 156-155 in the semifinals. This was after the Indian women's compound team produced a sensational performance to outclass the Chinese trio of Wunier, Yue Wang and Fangyao Wei 238-234 and retain its gold with a world record-equalling score.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha and Prithika Pradeep dominated the women's summit clash to secure the top spot on the podium. Of these, Jyothi was a part of the Hangzhou gold-wining women's team as well. "We pushed each other and kept telling each other that we have to give our best. Even if we had one bad shot, a nine score, we kept bucking each other up and saying 'Get back to what you know best and keep focusing on that'," said Prithika after the final. "I know it's a big tournament, but at the end of the day it's the same people, it's the same archery that I have to shoot. So I was just focusing on that to be honest. But it feels really good to win gold with my teammates," she added. The Indians equalled the world record held by South Korea in achieving the feat. Korea had secured the record total during the Incheon Asian Games in 2014.
The team gold was a redemption of sorts for Jyothi, who had stunningly failed to defend her individual crown after a pre-quarterfinal loss to 14-year-old Korean sensation Kang Yeon-seo. The South Korean team comprising Park Jungyoon, Park Yerin and Kang Yeonseo defeated Chinese Taipei to win the bronze medal. In the mixed team event, Chikitha and Sahil started strongly, taking a 40-39 lead after producing a series of perfect 10s. They extended the advantage to two points by the second end. A slip from Chikitha, who hit a 9, reduced India's lead to one point, with the Indian pair ahead at 118-117 after the third end.
Korea then produced a perfect score, leaving India needing two perfect 10s from their final two shots to win. Chikitha again stumbled to a 9, but Sahil held his nerve to find the bull's eye and level the scores, forcing a shoot-off. In the shoot-off, Chikitha and Sahil both struck 10s, while Choi could only manage a 9, sealing the gold for India. Earlier in the women's team final, the Indian trio brought its 'A' game to the fore, taking the opening end 60-58 with a series of perfect 10s. The defending champions continued to dominate, taking the second end 60-58 to extend their lead before consolidating their position further at 178-176 heading into the final end. China crumbled under pressure with two 9s, while India produced yet another perfect round with six perfect 10s to not only defend the title but also equal the world record. India had won five gold medals in archery at the last edition, including the compound mixed team event.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.