Gwangju (South Korea): The Indian men’s compound archery team scripted history on Saturday by storming into their first-ever gold medal match at the World Archery Championships 2025. The trio of Rishabh Yadav, Aman Saini, and Prathamesh Fuge delivered a remarkable comeback to defeat Turkiye 234–232 in the semi-finals, sealing a spot in the championship final.

Stunning comeback against Turkiye

The semi-final clash began on a shaky note for India when a wayward shot of 7 in the first set put the team under pressure. However, the trio regrouped quickly, shooting a perfect 120 in the final two sets to edge past Turkiye by two points. The flawless finish not only overturned the early deficit but also ensured India’s maiden appearance in the men’s compound team final at the world stage.

“This is a proud moment for Indian archery. To enter the gold medal match for the first time shows how far our compound programme has come,” an official from the Archery Association of India remarked.

Road to the final

India’s march to history was anything but easy. In the round of 16, the men’s compound team survived a close contest against Australia, forcing a shoot-off before advancing. The real test came in the quarterfinals, where India faced the eight-time world champions, United States of America. In a tense battle, the Indians held their nerve to secure a narrow one-point victory, knocking out the formidable USA.

The confidence from these victories carried into the semi-final, where their resilience shone through despite an early stumble.

Women’s team bows out early

In contrast, the Indian women’s compound team—Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Prithika Pradeep—failed to replicate past successes. The defending champions crashed out in the round of 16, losing to Italy 229–233.

The Indian trio struggled to find rhythm, shooting two low-scoring sets of 56 that gave Italy a commanding lead. Despite a late recovery attempt, the gap proved too wide. This marks the first time in a decade that India’s women’s compound team will return from the World Championships without a medal. Over the last four editions, they had collected four medals—one gold, two silvers, and one bronze.

A mixed campaign for India

While the women’s early exit was a setback, the men’s team’s achievement has provided a major boost to India’s archery contingent. Reaching the final guarantees India at least a silver medal, their first in this category, and keeps alive the possibility of a historic gold medal finish.

Archery experts note that the breakthrough is a sign of the growing depth of India’s compound archery programme, which has long been overshadowed by the women’s dominance.

Conclusion

As the Indian men’s team prepares for the gold medal match in Gwangju, the nation will be watching closely, hoping for a golden chapter in archery history. Regardless of the final outcome, their performance has already set a new benchmark for Indian compound archery on the global stage