Okazaki: The Indian compound archery team, comprising Chikitha Taniparthi, Prithika Pradeep and Jyothi Surekha Vennam, beat China 238-234 to successfully defend the gold medal here at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Wednesday.
India had won silver in the event in 2018 and bronze in 2014. This is India’s seventh gold at the ongoing edition of the continental showpiece. Overall, India’s medal tally currently stands at 53, including seven gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze medals.
The Indian trio edged South Korea in the semifinal before dismissing China in the final with a world-record score of 238, which was set by the Koreans in Incheon 2014.
After taking a 30-28 lead in the opening end, India extended their advantage to three points despite Chikitha shooting a nine in the first rotation of the second end. Prithika and Jyothi remained perfect, both finding 10s throughout.
At the start of End 2, both India and China hit a 9 and two 10s each in the first rotation. China hit two 10s and a nine in the next three arrows, and the Indian trio hit perfect 10s in the second rotation to stretch the lead to three points, 119-116.
In the first rotation of End 3, China hit perfect 10s, while India started with a nine from Chikitha, but Prithika and Jyothi hit 10s to keep India’s lead intact. In the second rotation, China had a 9 before hitting two 10s. India extended the advantage with three 10s to hold a 178-175 lead.
In the final end, China began with two 9s and a 10. The India trio responded with perfect 10s. In the last three errors, China shot three 10s to keep pressure on India, but the Indian trio had a perfect end with all 10s and successfully defended the gold with a 234-238 win.
India enjoyed its most successful Asian Games archery campaign in Hangzhou 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 a silver and a bronze.
(IANS)
