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The 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, witnessed a historic chapter in Indian archery. From October 1 to October 7, this event became the stage where India's 16-member archery contingent scripted an extraordinary tale, amassing a total of nine medals. India, with a commendable reputation in the world archery championship, entered the tournament as the favorites.
Among the shining stars were Ojas Pravin and Jyothi Surekha, who secured gold medals. Now, let’s take a closer look at India's remarkable journey in archery at the 2023 Asian Games and know the talented individuals who contributed to this achievement.
Ojas Pravin Deotale: Gold in Compound Individual
In the high-stakes men's compound individual event, Ojas Pravin Deotale proved his mettle. His journey at the Asian Games 2023 was nothing short of remarkable.
Ranked 3rd in the qualifications, Deotale meticulously defeated Ahmad Alshatti from Kuwait (148-138), Chieh-Lun Chen from Chinese Taipei (146-145), Akbarali Karabayev from Kazakhstan (150-142), and Jaewon Yang from Korea (150-146). He outplayed his compatriot, Abhishek Verma, in a gripping final, securing the coveted gold.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam: Gold in Compound Individual
Jyothi Surekha Vennam ruled the women's compound individual category. She shot her way through challenges, consistently defeating competitors throughout the Asian Games 2023
Seeded 1st in qualifications, she triumphed over Anuradha Karunaratne from Sri Lanka (145-132), Fatimah Saad Mahmood from Iraq (146-141), Adel Zhexenbinova from Kazakhstan (147-144), and Aditi Gopichand Swami from India (149-146). In a tense final, she clinched the gold medal against Chaewon So from Korea (149-145).
Abhishek Verma: Silver in Compound Men’s Individual
Abhishek Verma, with nerves of steel, battled his way to the men's compound individual final. Ranked 4th in qualifications, he displayed strong resilience, defeating Belal Ayman Alawadi from Saudi Arabia (147-139), Nguyen van Day from Vietnam (146-142), Andrey Tyutyun from Kazakhstan (147-147, shoot-off), and Jaehoon Joo from Korea (147-145).
In the final, he faced his compatriot Ojas Pravin Deotale, securing the silver after a close match (149-147).
Aditi Gopichand Swami: Bronze in Compound Women’s Individual
Aditi Gopichand Swami's performance in the women's compound individual event was marked by her sharp throws. Ranked 4th in qualifications, she displayed tactical acumen, defeating Imayung Rai from Nepal (149-137), Syahara Khoerunisa from Indonesia (148-146), and Amaya Cojuangco from the Philippines (149-143).
She faced Jyothi Surekha Vennam in the semifinals, securing the bronze medal after a hard-fought battle (146-149).
Team medals in Asian Games 2023
Men’s Recurve Team: Silver
In the realm of recurve archery, the trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Atanu Das, and Tushar Shelke orchestrated a symphony of teamwork and consistency, securing the silver in the Men's Recurve Team event.
Seeded 7th in qualifications, they overcame challenges, securing victories against Bhutan (6-2) and Bangladesh (6-5). In the final, they faced a formidable team from Kazakhstan, narrowly losing the match (5-6), earning the silver medal.
Women’s Recurve Team: Bronze
Bhajan Kaur, Ankita Bhakat, and Simranjeet Kaur exhibited a solid performance in the Women's Recurve Team event. Seeded 18th in qualifications, they defeated Yemen (6-0) and Bangladesh (6-0). The team lost in semifinals as they faced a strong team from South Korea. They secured the bronze medal after a hard-fought match (3-7) against Vietnam.
Men's Compound Team: Gold
India's men's compound team, comprising Ojas Pravin Deotale, Abhishek Verma, and Prathamesh Jawkar, displayed their best form and were consistent at the Asian Games tournament. They overcame the likes of Singapore (235-219), Bhutan (235-221), and Chinese Taipei (235-224). In a thrilling final showdown against South Korea, they won the gold with a final score of 235-230.
Women's Compound Team: Gold
Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Gopichand Swami, and Parneet Kaur formed an unbeatable trio in the Women's Compound Team event. They received a bye in the initial round and went on to defeat Hong Kong (231-220) and Indonesia (233-219). In the final, they faced a tough challenge from Chinese Taipei. With remarkable determination, they emerged victorious, securing the gold medal with a final score of 230-229.
Compound Mixed Team: Gold
In the heart-pounding Compound Mixed Team event at the Asian Games 2023, Ojas Pravin Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam emerged as India's golden duo. They defeated UAE (159-151), Malaysia (158-155), and Kazakhstan (159-154) in the initial rounds. In a nail-biting final against South Korea, they held their ground, clinching the gold medal with a final score of 159-158.
