Nanjing (China): Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam made history on Saturday by becoming the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the World Cup Final, securing bronze with an impeccable performance. The reigning Asian Games champion demonstrated her skill against world No. 2 Ella Gibson of Great Britain, shooting 15 flawless arrows to win 150-145, marking her first podium finish in this tournament. In the eight-archer World Cup season finale, the 29-year-old started strong, defeating Alexis Ruiz of the USA 143-140 in the quarterfinals. However, she faced a narrow defeat in the semifinals against world No. 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico, losing 143-145 in a tightly contested match.
Jyothi led briefly by a point after the third end (87-86), but Becerra responded with three 10s in the fourth end to take a 116-115 lead and secured her place in the final by winning the fifth end 29-28, just edging out Jyothi. The 2021 World Championship silver medallist rebounded impressively in the bronze medal match, scoring 15 consecutive 10s over five ends to decisively defeat Gibson and conclude her campaign on a positive note. This marked Jyothi’s third participation in the World Cup Final, following early exits in the Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023) editions.
Another Indian archer, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, also competed in the women’s compound section but was eliminated in the first round after losing 142-145 to Mariana Bernal of Mexico. India experienced disappointment in the men’s compound section, where top-ranked archer Rishabh Yadav narrowly lost a bronze medal shoot-off to former world champion Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands.
