Indian archery touched a new milestone on Sunday as the men’s compound team secured the country’s first-ever gold medal at the World Archery Championships, defeating France in a nail-biting final.
The trio of Rishabh Yadav, Aman Saini, and Prathamesh Fuge showcased remarkable composure under pressure to script history in Gwangju.
After three sets, the match stood evenly poised at 176-all.
In the deciding round, the Indians rose to the occasion, delivering a near-flawless 59 against France’s 57 to seal a 235–233 victory and with it, the coveted gold medal.
The achievement came shortly after India had to settle for silver in the compound mixed team event.
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Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Rishabh Yadav fought valiantly in the final but narrowly lost 155–157 to the Netherlands.
For Rishabh, however, redemption arrived quickly as he played a pivotal role in guiding the men’s team to glory.
Seeded second in the tournament, India’s path to the final was anything but easy.
The team overcame stiff challenges from Australia, the USA—considered one of the strongest forces in compound archery—and Turkey, displaying consistency, skill, and steely nerves.
