Antalya (Turkey): In a historic moment for Indian archery, Jyothi Surekha Vennam became the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the World Cup Final, clinching a bronze medal with a perfect display of precision and composure.
The reigning Asian Games champion delivered a flawless performance against world No. 2 Ella Gibson of Great Britain, shooting 15 consecutive 10s to secure a 150-145 victory and her maiden podium finish in the elite tournament.
Earlier in the day, the 29-year-old started strongly, defeating Alexis Ruiz of the USA 143-140 in the quarterfinals. However, she narrowly missed a place in the final after a hard-fought 143-145 loss to world No. 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico in the semifinals. Jyothi briefly led after the third end but Becerra surged ahead in the final rounds to seal her spot in the gold medal match.
Showing remarkable resilience, Jyothi returned in the bronze medal playoff with renewed focus, dominating Gibson with clinical accuracy and ending her campaign on a high note. This marks her third World Cup Final appearance, having earlier competed in Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023), both times bowing out in the first round.
India’s other representative in the women’s compound category, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, exited early after a 142-145 loss to Mexico’s Mariana Bernal. In the men’s compound section, Rishabh Yadav remains India’s sole contender and will face South Korea’s Kim Jongho later in the day.
With no Indian entries in the recurve section this year, Jyothi’s landmark achievement stands out as a moment of pride for Indian archery on the world stage.
