The Indian men’s compound archery team, comprising the experienced Abhishek Verma, newcomer Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge, and reigning U-21 world champion Priyansh, created a major upset by defeating top qualifier South Korea by two points at 235-233 in the semifinals. The thrilling contest witnessed a tie after two ends, but the Indians grabbed a point after the third and finished with a 59 to secure the final spot.
Abhishek Verma expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting their coordination and ability to read the wind well. He also acknowledged the significance of the semifinals and expressed their delight at reaching the gold medal match.
Priyansh, who joined Verma for training in Delhi, shared his excitement about competing against the strong Korean opponents whom he had previously only witnessed on social media. While acknowledging that they could have performed even better, he remained optimistic about their chances in the final.
The Indian women’s team, the reigning world champions, showcased their dominance by dropping just 10 points through two matches. They defeated Estonia 235-230, continuing the impressive process they have been following for a long time, as per Aditi Swami.
Aditi expressed her hopes for repeating the success of last year’s World Cup in Paris, where both the Indian men’s and women’s teams won gold medals. However, the squad is competing without their charismatic Italian coach Sergio Pagni, who is currently engaged in the national camp back home.
In the other semifinals, Italy overcame Kazakhstan in a shoot-off after the scores were tied at 227 points. The 10th-seeded Dutch men also won a tie-break against France to book their ticket to the final. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s women and the Korean men’s team secured bronze medals at the end of the session.
