World Archery Championships 2023: India wins first-ever gold medal, beats Mexico in women’s compound team final

The trio of Jyothi, Aditi and Parneet won 235-229 against the Mexican team of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon and Andrea Becerra in the summit clash.

From left to right: India’s Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur beat Mexico in the compound women’s team final to win the nation’s first-ever gold medal at World Archery Championships. | Photo Credit: WORLD ARCHERY

The trio of V. Jyothi Surekha, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur made history when they helped India record a convincing 235-229 victory over top-ranked Mexico in the compound women’s team final and clinch its first ever gold medal in the World Archery Championships in Berlin on Friday.

Under the calming influence of Italian foreign coach Sergio Pagni, a two-time Worlds team gold winner, the second-placed Indian side, featuring an ideal mix of youth and experience, shot consistently to win all four ends (59-57, 59-58, 59-57, 58-57) and secure the title.

The Indians maintained their composure to take a two-point lead in the opening end and gradually increased it to approach the final end with a cushion of five points, winning the match comfortably by six points.

Jyothi, Aditi, and Parneet scored 19 10s, while their rivals, Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon, and Andrea Becerra, could manage 14.

“We were confident of winning this match. We just focused on the process,” said 17-year-old Aditi, the current under-18 World individual and team champion.

“Despite the noise from the stands, we did not get distracted and focused on our shooting,” said 18-year-old Parneet, a 2021 World Under-18 and a 2023 World Under-21 team champion.

“We are delighted to win the country’s first ever gold. We want to win many more gold medals,” said 27-year-old Jyothi Surekha.

Jyothi had claimed three silver medals (women’s individual and team events and mixed team) in the previous edition in Yankton in 2021, two bronze (women’s team and individual) in Den Bosch in 2019, and a silver (women’s team) in Mexico City in 2017.

After receiving a first-round bye, India beat Turkey, Chinese Taipei, and Colombia to book a berth in the final.

Indian archers, who have bagged World under-21 and under-18 titles, had never won a World crown at the elite level.

The result: Team: Compound: Women: Final: India (V. Jyothi Surekha, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur) bt Mexico (Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon, Andrea Becerra) 235-229.