In a heart-pounding final match against Chinese Taipei, India’s archery team continued to dazzle at the 19th Asian Games in 2023, securing the coveted gold medal. The triumphant squad, consisting of Jyoti Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur, showcased their exceptional skills and unflinching nerves under intense pressure. This victory marked India’s second gold medal in archery at this prestigious event.
The final match kicked off with a touch of tension as both Parneet and Aditi began with scores of 9, while Jyothi provided a steady hand with a flawless 10. Despite two impressive 10s from the Chinese Taipei archers, their final shot of 7 provided India with an advantage that they couldn’t fully exploit. In the opening round, the Chinese Taipei team secured a two-point lead, tallying 59 to India’s 57.
In the second round, Jyoti once again stole the spotlight with a perfect 10, while Parneet and Aditi earned 9s. Chinese Taipei managed an impeccable 30, widening their lead to four points. However, in the third round, Parneet and Aditi showcased their peak performance, helping India achieve a flawless 30 and narrowing the gap to just one point, with the score standing at 112-111 in favor of Chinese Taipei.
The turning point arrived in the final round when both Parneet and Jyoti scored 10s, and Aditi settled for a 9. A Taipei archer also notched a 9, leaving the scores tied with three arrows remaining for each team. In this high-pressure moment, Aditi, Parneet, and Jyoti demonstrated remarkable composure, closing out the round with a perfect 30. This exerted immense pressure on the Taipei side, who managed two 10s from their final two archers but fell short by just one point. India secured the gold medal with a final score of 230-229.
Prior to their heroic victory in the final, the Indian trio encountered little resistance in the quarterfinals and semifinals, triumphing over Hong Kong China in the quarterfinals and Indonesia in the semis with convincing scores. Their performances in these matches underscored their dominance and exceptional archery prowess.