Jyothi Surekha Vennam scripts history with World Cup Final bronze medal

Nanjing (China): Decorated Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam on Saturday became the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the World Cup Final, clinching the bronze with a flawless performance here.

The reigning Asian Games champion was at her imperious best against world No 2 Ella Gibson of Great Britain, shooting 15 perfect arrows to prevail 150-145 and secure her maiden podium finish in the tournament.

The eight-archer World Cup season finale saw the 29-year-old Indian begin with a confident 143-140 win over Alexis Ruiz of the USA in the quarterfinals.

Jyothi, however, went down narrowly to world No 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico 143-145 in the semifinals after a closely-fought contest.

Jyothi briefly led by one point after the third end (87-86) but Becerra hit three 10s in the fourth end to edge ahead 116-115 and sealed the final spot by taking the fifth end 29-28, as the Indian fell just short of her best finish.

The 2021 World Championship silver medallist, however, bounced back in style in the bronze medal match, reeling off 15 consecutive 10s across five ends to outclass Gibson and end her campaign on a high.

This was Jyothi's third appearance at the World Cup Final, having earlier competed at the Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023) editions, where she had exited in the opening round.

India had another qualifier in the women’s compound section, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, who made an opening-round exit after losing 142-145 to Mariana Bernal of Mexico.

India, however, had heartbreak in the men’s compound section as the country’s top-ranked archer Rishabh Yadav narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, losing to former world champion Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands by millimetres in the shoot-off.

Both archers dropped just three points across the regulation five ends to be tied 147-all.

The shoot-off also produced a thrilling finish, with both shooting perfect 10s, but Schloesser’s arrow was adjudged closer to the centre, denying Yadav a World Cup Final medal by the narrowest of margins.

Abhishek Verma thus remains the only Indian compound archer to have won medals at the World Cup Final, having claimed a silver in 2015 (Mexico City) and a bronze in 2018 (Samsun) respectively.

No Indian has qualified in the recurve section in this season's World Cup Final.