Aichi-Nagoya, 30 September (H.S.): India’s women’s compound archery team advanced to the gold medal contest at the Asian Games 2026 after a hard-fought 235-233 victory over South Korea in the semi-final on Wednesday.

The Indian trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep held their nerve in a closely contested encounter to book their place in the final. The spellings of the archers’ names follow World Archery’s official records.

The contest remained finely balanced throughout. South Korea mounted a strong comeback in the second half to level the scores at 175-175, putting the Indian archers under considerable pressure. India, however, responded with composure when it mattered most.

In the decisive final phase, Chikitha and Prithika delivered superb 10s, while Jyothi added a 9 as India held on to win by two points and secure a place in the gold medal match.

Prithika and Jyothi were particularly effective for India, each recording six 10s from eight attempts. Chikitha, meanwhile, produced five 10s from her eight arrows.

The two teams were locked in a tight battle from the opening rotation. The score stood at 59-59 after the second rotation, before India edged ahead 88-86 in the third. At the halfway stage, the Indian trio held a 118-115 advantage.

South Korea steadily reduced the deficit after the interval with a series of accurate shots, eventually drawing level at 175-175. India, however, remained composed with the final arrows and secured a 235-233 victory to advance to the gold medal contest.

India will now face China for the gold medal. The Indian women’s compound team will have the opportunity to claim the Asian Games title in the event.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar