It was a one-point thriller. Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav, and Ganesh Mani Ratnam stood at the line in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, facing down China. The air was thick. The scoreline was 238-237. India took the gold by the slimmest of margins, holding their nerve when it mattered most.
This wasn't just another medal. It was India's third gold in archery at these Games. Earlier in the day, the women's compound team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep had already beaten China 238-234. The compound mixed pair of Chikitha and Sahil also topped the table after a shoot-off against South Korea. A clean sweep of compound titles.
The road to the final was tough. Dalal, Jadhav, and Ratnam dispatched the UAE 235-215 in the round of 16. Bhutan put up a fight in the quarterfinals, but India closed it out 235-232. The defense of the compound titles from Hangzhou is solid. The mixed team's victory locked in an Olympic quota spot for Los Angeles 2028, where the event makes its debut.
Next up: India’s eyes turn to the remaining events to keep the archery haul growing.