India beats top seeds Mexico 235-229
KOLKATA: India's compound archers continued to keep the country's flag flying as the women's team of Parneet Kaur, Aditi Swami and Jyothi Vennam created history by winning India's maiden gold medal in World Archery Championships, beating top seeds Mexico 235-229 in the final in Berlin on Friday.
This was India's 12th World Championships medal that previously included nine silver and two bronze. All eyes were on the compound archers, after their recurve counterparts were unable to make the podium in both team and individual categories thereby failing to earn Olympic quota places. Second-seeded India made a strong start in the title match taking a two-point lead in the first set (59-57), missing the 10-point mark just once.
They managed to extend the lead in the second (118-115) by shooting another 59 as the Mexican team of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon and Andrea Becerra scored 58. The Indian girls maintained their consistent shooting recording another 59 to which the Mexican replied with 57 only thereby giving India a comfortable five-point lead (177-172) going into the final end. The Mexican team managed another 57 in the final end, leaving Vennam, the last shooter for India, needing to hit just a five to secure gold. She struck nine to open the medal count for India.
"We were confident of winning this match. We just focused on the process," said 17-year-old Aditi, the reigning Under-18 World champion. "Despite the noise from the stands, we did not get distracted and focused on our shooting," said 18-year-old Parneet, a 2021 World Under-18 and a 2023 World Under-21 team champion.
"This feels wonderful as this was the first gold medal for the country. Hope there are more medals in archery in future," Jyothi, who won her first gold and seventh World Championships medal, said. She had previously won three silver medals (women's individual and team events and mixed team) in the previous edition in Yankton in 2021, two bronze (women's team and individual) in Den Bosch in 2019, and a silver (women's team) in Mexico City in 2017.
After receiving a first-round bye, India beat Turkey (230-228), Chinese Taipei (228-226), and defending champions Colombia (220-216) to book a berth in the final. More is expected from the trio training under two-time worlds team gold winner Italian coach Sergio Pagni, as all the three made the quarterfinals of individual event too where Swami will face the Netherlands' Sanne de Laat, while Vennam will play Kaur for a spot in the semifinal on Saturday.
In the men's individual compound event, Ojas Deotale will compete against Poland's Przemyslaw Konecki in the quarterfinals.
