On Cloud 9: Jyothi, Deotale claim hat-trick of gold, archers return with record haul

Hangzhou: Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam led India’s medal rush with a hat-trick of gold as the compound archers ended South Korea’s dominance to propel the country to its best-ever haul of nine medals at the Asian Games here on Saturday.

The compound archers claimed all the five gold medals on offer while veteran Abhishek Verma and Aditi Swami secured one silver and a bronze each. The recurve archers earlier on Friday bagged two medals, India’s first in 13 years in the Olympic discipline. India had won two silver medals in archery in the 2018 edition in Indonesia.

Reigning world champion Aditi began the penultimate day at the continental showpiece by winning a bronze in the women’s compound individual event when she prevailed over Indonesia’s Ratih Zilizati Fadhly in a one-sided play-off.

The 17-year-old Indian, who bagged the World Championship title in Berlin two months ago, was not at her best and dropped four points but that did not matter much as she won 146-140. Later Jyothi, who had already secured a gold in mixed pair and women’s team events, made it three in a row when she rallied to defeat her formidable South Korean opponent So Chaewon 149-145 in the women’s compound individual final.

“I feel short of words and lots of emotions are going through. I need some time to give this a thinking,” Jyothi said after clinching India’s first-ever individual gold medal in archery. In a battle between the top two seeds, Jyothi dropped a point in her last arrow of the first end to trail 29-30 against the second-seeded South Korean.

Shooting first in the next end, Jyothi bounced back strongly with two 10s as So Chaewon slipped to an 8 in the second arrow. In her final arrow of the second end, Jyothi’s shot was on the edge and upon review she got a 10, which sealed the second set and gave the Indian a one-point lead.

There was no stopping Jyothi from there on as she went on to drill in 12 arrows in the 10-ring to seal a four-point win.

In a battle between the master and apprentice, it was the 21-year-old reigning world champion Deotale who emerged winner by two

points.