Rishabh Yadav's bronze comes as saving grace for India as compound archers flop at World Games

Chengdu: Youngster Rishabh Yadav's bronze medal was the saving grace on a disappointing day for Indian compound archers at the World Games here Saturday as the top-seeded mixed team crashed out in the opening round.

None of the women contenders could make it to the podium, adding to the gloom.

Yadav, seeded 10th, produced a flawless display to beat senior teammate and multiple World Cup gold medallist Abhishek Verma 149-147 in the men's individual compound bronze medal match. Verma, who qualified as the fifth seed, trailed by one point after the first end (29-30) as Yadav opened with three perfect 10s.

The second end was tied at 29-all, but Yadav maintained his narrow advantage. Both archers shot three perfect 10s in the third end, before Yadav capitalised on a single-point drop by Verma in the fourth to stretch his lead to 119-117.

Maintaining his composure, the 22-year-old Yadav drilled three more arrows into the 10-ring in the final end to seal the win without dropping a single point in his last nine arrows.

In the semifinals, Yadav had lost 145-147 to American Curtis Lee Broadnax while Verma went down 145-148 to top seed Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands.

India's challenge in the women's individual compound section ended in the quarterfinals.

Parneet Kaur, 12th seed, was beaten 140-145 by Colombia's fourth seed Alejandra Usquiano, while third seed Madhura Dhamangaonkar lost 145-149 to Estonia’s sixth seed Lisell Jaatma.

Mixed team concern

The biggest disappointment, however, came in the mixed compound event. Having topped the qualification round, the Indian pair of Verma and Madhura entered as favourites but succumbed to their familiar nemesis, South Korea, in the very first round.

The duo lost 151-154 to Moon Yeeun and Lee Eunho, bringing curtains on the Indian campaign. No one is competing in the recurve category.

The Koreans edged the first end 38-37 before stepping on the gas with a perfect second end, while the Indians faltered with a 27 to fall four points behind.

The third end was tied 37-37, and although the Indians edged the final end 40-39, it was too late.

The result was particularly alarming given the eight-team draw required just two wins to secure a medal, and with the mixed compound team event set to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, the early exit exposed both pressure-handling issues and tactical shortcomings that has ailed the Indian archers at the highest level.

Denmark's Mathias Fullerton and Sofie Louise Dam Marcussen won the compound mixed team title, beating Mexico 156-155.

This competition set the stage for something much bigger; the debut of the compound mixed team competition at the LA28 Olympic Games in three years, and the Danish compound elite are itching to be a part of it.

"The Olympics opens up so many things for funding and stuff like that,” Fullerton told World Archery website.

"And now we've really proved that we can do it. Denmark is a small country, but one of the best there is. So I'm super happy that we got to show it here."