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Indian compounds continue winning run, sweep Hangzhou team titles

5 October 2023

Hangzhou, China

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India celebrates winning the compound men’s team title in Hangzhou.

India’s compound teams increased the country’s gold medal tally to three – or four if you include the guaranteed individual win on Saturday – with victories on Thursday at the Asian Games.

The men beat Korea, 235-230, in their final, while the women defeated Chinese Taipei, 230-229.

“We already have world champions and we already have three of five medals here,” said Sergio Pagni, the former Italian international turned coach import whose work in India has predicated this incredible run of results. “We need the other two.”

“I don’t want to say that the dream is to bring back five gold medals… but, just fingers crossed, right now we have three.”

India’s archers have always had the talent to produce big results. In 2023, time and time again, they’ve proven they also have the mentality to secure huge podiums, too.

Undisputedly the cream of the crop after winning the world championships and seeding first in Hangzhou, India’s compound women cruised through matchplay completely untested – until the final.

In tough, blustery conditions, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur all struggled in the opening volley. For the first time in the tournament, they trailed, sitting two points behind Chinese Taipei after six arrows.

But unlike certain Indian squads of times past, an early deficit is no longer a death knell.

The trio quickly found safer footing, kept the affair through the third end – and, given the opportunity to win the match before Taipei had finished, delivered three excellent final arrows, all 10s, to secure India’s then-second gold medal of these Asian Games.

“We get along very well,” said Kaur when asked about the team dynamic. “The more we practise with each other, the more adjusted we become to one another.”

“There was a little nervousness in the match but we just focused on our shots.”

Team leader Vennam, who will shoot for individual gold, was appreciative of the raucous support from the stands. Both nations had huge contingents – mostly athletes from other sports – making noise during the final.

“We were only able to hear the Indian crowd cheering,” she said. “It’s the first time we have won a gold medal in the compound women’s category at the Asian Games. We are so happy and thankful to the audience supporting us.”

The compound women’s individual final between Vennam and Korea’s So Chaewon might well decide which country tops the medal table in Hangzhou.

Chaewon will hope to give Vennam more of a fight than Korea’s compound men managed in their final against Abhishek Verma, Prathamesh Jawkar and Pravin Deotale.

India had a three-point lead after the first of four ends and were never pressured.

“I only had one chance of taking a medal because after the qualification round I was third in the team,” said Jawkar. Only the top two qualifiers from each nation advance to individual matchplay at the Asian Games.

“I had one chance and I got the gold medal. I can’t ask for anything more.”

In stark contrast, Deotale now has two podium-topping performances, having also taken mixed team gold with Vennam. He faces teammate Verma for a third on Saturday morning – a man he credited with today’s win.

“He was guiding us from behind. We could not have done it without him,” he said.

Verma, for his part, credited the man standing in the coaching box.

“[Sergio Pagni] is our big secret,” he said. “He is a game changer.”

Competition continues on Friday at the Asian Games with recurve team finals, followed by individual finals on Saturday.