India stunned favourites Korea to claim the men’s recurve team gold at the Asian Archery Championships on Friday, securing their first title in the event since 2007 and ending Korea’s unbeaten run dating back to 2013.
The trio of Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, Atanu Das and Rahul edged Korea 5-4 in a shoot-off. Both teams shot 29 in the decider, but India prevailed after Rahul’s arrow landed closest to the centre.
India fell short in the recurve mixed team event, with Anshika Kumari and Yashdeep losing the bronze medal match to Korea’s Jang Minhee and Seo Mingi.
Later in th day, five-time Olympian Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat square off in the recurve women’s individual semifinal, while another Indian, Sangeeta, will be up against Paris Olympic silver medallist Nam Suhyeon in the semifinal. In the men’s individual event, Dhiraj Bommadevara will take on Korea’s Jang Chaehwan, and Rahul will lock horns with another Korean Seo Mingi.
India’s compound archers ended their campaign on Thursday with five medals. Jyothi Surekha Vennam, the reigning Asian Games champion, captured her third individual Asian Championships title after previous wins in 2015 and 2021. She beat 17-year-old compatriot Prithika Pradeep 147-145 in the final following a near-perfect 149 in the semifinals.
Vennam and Prithika, along with Deepshikha, won the compound women’s team gold against Korea. The men’s compound team, led by world No.10 Abhishek Verma, settled for silver after losing 230-229 to Kazakhstan.
Verma and Deepshikha later clinched the compound mixed team gold, defeating Bangladesh’s Bonna Akter and Himu Bachhar 155-153.