Dhaka: India’s men’s recurve team upstaged Korea in the final to win the gold medal at the Asian Archery Championships here on Friday.
This was India’s first gold in the men’s recurve team event at the championships since 2007. Korea were unbeaten in the event since 2013.
The Indian team, comprising Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, Atanu Das and Rahul, emerged victorious by a slender 5-4 margin courtesy of a shoot-off. Both teams shot 29 apiece in the shoot-off, but India won gold as Rahul’s arrow was closest to the centre.
Meanwhile, the recurve mixed team of Anshika Kumari and Yashdeep lost the bronze medal match to the Korean duo of Jang Minhee and Seo Mingi.
Later in the 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.
On Thursday, compound archers bagged five medals to wrap up their campaign.
The compound women’s final was an all-Indian affair – with reigning Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam claiming her third individual gold medal at the Asian Championships after previously winning it in 2015 and 2021.
Vennam, who played a near-perfect round of 149 in the semifinals against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Si-yu, overcame a tough challenge from 17-year-old compatriot Prithika Pradeep, silver medallist at Winnipeg 2025, before winning the final by two points (147-145).
Earlier, the Indian challengers Vennam and Prithika combined with Deepshikha to win the compound women’s team gold over Korea, represented by Oh Yoohyun, Park Yerin and Park Jungyoon.
However, the world no. 10 Abhishek Verma-led men’s compound team of Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge fell short by one point to in the final against Kazakhstan (229-230) to settle for the silver.
Meanwhile, the compound mixed team, comprising veteran archer Verma and youngster Deepshikha, bagged the gold after beating the local duo Bonna Akter and Himu Bachhar, 153-155.
(IANS)
