India clinch bronze

 India clinched a bronze medal in the compound men’s team event to open their account in the Archery World Cup Stage 3 being held in Medellin, Colombia.

According to information received here, Rajat Chouhan, Sandeep Kumar and Ratan Singh Khuraijam overcame a stiff resistance from the hosts to win 215-210 en route to the bronze medal on Saturday.

The trio of Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Biruly will aim for a gold in the women’s recurve team summit clash against the top-seeded Chinese. India has another medal chance in the recurve mixed team bronze play-off where Atanu Das and Deepika will fight it out against the Mexicans.

In compound bronze medal play-off held under difficult windy conditions, the Indians were up against the home favourites Juan Carlos Carrasquilla, Camilo Andres Cardona and and José Carlos Ospina as there was a huge crowd cheering for the Colombian trio.

But the Indian threesome began solidly out of the gate to take a 52-50 lead in the first end.

The Colombians made a comeback in the second end with two perfect 10s for a cumulative 54 against Indians’ 50 to take the lead 104-102.

Fresh from a mixed silver medal in the last World Cup in Antalya, Rajasthan lad Chouhan inspired the team to four perfect 10s en route to 56 as India snatched the lead 158-156 at the penultimate round.

The Indians did not look back as the trio clinched the issue easily shooting 57 to deny the Colombians their first World Cup medal in the compound men’s category.

The French men’s team won their first gold medal since 2008, while the US women defeated Colombia in a rematch of the Antalya World Cup.