In a historic triumph, India’s archery duo of Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Ojas Deotale clinched the gold medal in the compound mixed team event at the Asian Games 2023. They secured victory by edging out South Korea’s formidable pair, So Chaewon and Joo Jaehoon, with a score of 159-158 in a thrilling final showdown at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre Final Field.
This gold medal not only marked a significant milestone for the archers but also catapulted India to their highest-ever medal tally at an Asian Games. With this remarkable achievement, India bagged their 71st medal in this edition of the games, surpassing their previous record of 70 medals set during the 2018 Jakarta Games. Additionally, India equaled their best gold medal count of 16, a feat they had previously accomplished four years ago.
The battle for gold was fiercely contested, with India leading by just one point after the first end. The second end saw them maintain their slim advantage, but in the third end, they temporarily lost their lead. At 119-119, the outcome hung in the balance. However, a crucial nine-point shot from South Korea’s So swung the advantage in India’s favor. Although South Korea managed two consecutive 10-point shots, India held their nerve to secure the win.
Jyothi and Ojas’ journey to gold began earlier in the day when they defeated the Malaysian pair of Binti Mat Salleh Fatin Nurfatehah and Bin Muzuki Mohd Juwaidi with a score of 158-155. Subsequently, they confirmed their medal position by overcoming Kazakhstan’s Adel Zhexenbinova and Andrey Tyutyun in the semi-final.
With a total of 71 medals, including 16 gold, 26 silver, and 29 bronze, India’s contingent at the Hangzhou Games has showcased exceptional prowess. The country now has a chance to further bolster their medal tally. Currently, China leads the medal standings with an impressive haul of 164 golds, 90 silvers, and 46 bronzes, while Japan and South Korea occupy the second and third positions, respectively.