India’s mixed compound team of Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi entered the final of the Asian Games with a 156-155 victory over Thailand’s Peerawat Rattanapongkiat and Kanoknapus Kaewchomphu at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Wednesday.
The Indian duo will face the winner of the second semifinal between South Korea and China. The final will be Chikitha’s second gold medal match at the ongoing Games after she helped India win the women’s compound team title earlier in the day.
Chikitha and Sahil opened with three 10s and a nine, while Thailand began with a nine and an eight before responding with two 10s. India led 39-37 after the opening end.
In the second end, Kanoknapus shot a nine while Peerawat followed with a 10. Chikitha and Sahil both struck 10s to extend India’s advantage. The Indian pair led 77-75 at the end of the second end after both archers shot 9s in the final rotation.
Thailand made a strong start to the third end with successive 10s, but India maintained its advantage at 117-115.
The Thai pair again opened the final end with two 10s, reducing India’s lead to one point after Chikitha shot a nine. Sahil responded with a 10 to keep India ahead 136-135.
With Thailand under pressure, both Kanoknapus and Peerawat found 10s. Chikitha responded with a 10 before Sahil produced another perfect shot to seal India’s place in the final.
Chikitha is now in contention for her second gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. She earlier teamed up with Prithika Pradeep and Jyothi Surekha Vennam to win the women’s compound team gold, defeating China 238-234.
India had won silver in the mixed compound team event in 2018 and bronze in 2014. The country has so far won seven gold medals at the ongoing Games, with its overall tally standing at 53 medals — seven gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze.
The Indian men’s compound team will also be in action on Wednesday, taking on South Korea in the semifinal.
India enjoyed its most successful Asian Games archery campaign in Hangzhou in 2023, winning a record nine medals — five gold, two silver and two bronze. The compound archers swept all five gold medals on offer, while the recurve teams contributed one silver and one bronze.
(IANS Inputs)
