India Shines at World Archery Para Series: A Day of Triumph and Heartbreak

India's Stellar Performance in Archery

Ahmedabad: On the second last day of the World Archery Para Series (Stage III), India secured an impressive haul of two golds, two silvers, and one bronze. The men's compound and recurve teams showcased their skills, while Swati Chaudhary excelled by earning two medals. The reigning world champion Toman Kumar and Shyam Sundar Swami clinched gold in the men's compound team event, triumphing over Iraq with a score of 152-139. Meanwhile, Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi overcame Slovakia 6-2 to win the men's recurve team title.

The women's recurve duo of Bhawna and Pooja earned a silver medal after a 0-6 defeat against China. Additionally, Swati and Adil Mohamed Nazir Ansari finished as runners-up in the Mixed Team W1 (Rec/Comp) category. Swati later returned in the afternoon to secure a bronze in the individual W1 event, defeating Russia's Elena Krutova with a score of 6-2 while competing under the Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) flag.

India narrowly missed out on a bronze in the women's compound team event, as Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag lost their playoff against China. Swami and Toman's gold medal victory in the men's compound team event was marked by a strong performance against Iraq's Abbas Kadhim and Anwer Aldawod. Despite a slow start, the Indian team quickly regained their composure, scoring consistently to maintain a significant lead.

Harvinder and Sundi's journey to gold was marked by resilience, as they came back from an initial deficit to defeat Slovakia's David Ivan and Denis Ivan 6-2. The turning point occurred in the third set when India shot three 10s, taking a 4-2 lead and holding their nerve to finish strong. Bhawna and Pooja's silver medal match against China was challenging, with the Indian team struggling to find their rhythm and ultimately losing 0-6.

Swati and Adil's silver in the Mixed Team W1 event came after a tough match against the Czech Republic's Sarka Pultar Musilova and David Dra honinsky, where they lost 1-5. The Czech team established an early lead, and despite India's efforts to rally, they could not force a decisive end. Swati's second medal of the day came in the W1 bronze contest, where she defeated Elena 6-2, showcasing her skill and determination.

In the women's compound team event, Sheetal and Payal narrowly missed out on a medal, losing to China's Wang Huiting and Gao Fangxia. The Indian pair struggled with consistency, particularly in the third end, which allowed China to secure the bronze.