Indian Compound Archers Win Third Gold at Asian Games 2026
India Clinch Thrilling Compound Archery Gold
India’s men’s compound archery team won a closely fought gold-medal final against China at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, edging their opponents 238-237.
The Indian trio of Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru held their nerve in a tense contest to secure another gold for the country. The result also completed India’s third gold medal in compound archery at the Games, following victories in the women’s team and mixed team events.
Sahil Jadhav Delivers Under Pressure
Sahil Jadhav was one of the key performers for India in the final. He maintained a perfect run of 10s in his shots, including a crucial final arrow.
Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Mani Ratnam also contributed important scores as India recovered from an early deficit and stayed within touching distance of China throughout the contest.
India Trailed Early in the Final
China started strongly, producing three perfect 10s in the opening phase. India initially slipped behind after Kushal Dalal recorded a nine.
The Chinese team continued to produce high scores, keeping a narrow advantage through the early stages. India entered the later stages of the contest still chasing China by a small margin.
The Indian trio then produced a series of high-scoring ends to close the gap.
One-Point Margin Decides the Gold
The final remained extremely close, with China holding a one-point advantage heading into the decisive phase.
India responded with three perfect 10s, while China dropped points on one of its crucial arrows. After a review of the Chinese score, the final result went India’s way at 238-237.
The victory gave India another gold medal in a highly successful day for its compound archers.
India’s Compound Archery Gold Hat-Trick
The men’s victory followed two other Indian gold medals in compound archery on the same day.
Earlier, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep won the women’s compound team gold after defeating China 238-234. Their score matched the existing world-record mark.
Later, Sahil Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi won the mixed compound team title after beating South Korea in a shoot-off. Their victory also secured India a quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where compound mixed team archery is set to make its Olympic debut.
With the men’s team victory, India completed a three-gold sweep in the compound archery events at the Asian Games 2026.
India’s Men’s Compound Archery Team
| Archer | Role |
|---|---|
| Sahil Jadhav | Indian men’s compound team |
| Kushal Dalal | Indian men’s compound team |
| Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru | Indian men’s compound team |
The same trio had earlier defeated Bhutan 235-232 in the quarterfinal before overcoming South Korea in the semifinal to reach the gold-medal contest.
A Major Day for Indian Archery
The three compound archery gold medals represent a significant haul for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The men’s team victory also continues India’s strong record in the discipline at the continental Games.
India’s compound archers will now attract further attention as the sport moves toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, particularly following the mixed team’s qualification quota earlier in the day
