Kumar Bahukhandi
India’s compound mixed archery champions Sahil Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi celebrate with the Tricolour after winning gold at the Asian Games in Japan on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Their victory also secured India a quota place for the mixed team compound event at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Photo: AP
Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav edge South Korea in a tense final after India’s women compound team matches world record on golden day
Key Highlights
- Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav win compound mixed team gold
- Indian pair overcome South Korea 158-157 following a tense shoot-off
- Victory also earns India a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
- India defeated Thailand 156-155 in the semifinal
- Women’s compound team earlier beat China 238-234 for gold
- Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha and Prithika Pradeep equalled the world record with 238
- Chikitha finishes the day with gold medals in both the women’s team and mixed team events
Nagoya: India turned the compound archery arena into a double-gold celebration on Wednesday as Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav captured the mixed team title after the women’s trio had already successfully defended its Asian Games crown.
The mixed pair held their nerve against South Korea’s Jungyoon Park and Choi Eun Gyu in a final that went down to a shoot-off, with India eventually prevailing 158-157.
The triumph carried an additional reward: a quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where compound archery is set to make its Olympic debut in the mixed team format.
For Chikitha, it completed an exceptional double. She had earlier joined Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Prithika Pradeep in winning the women’s compound team gold.
One-Point Battles on Road to Gold
Chikitha and Sahil had already survived a close semifinal against Thailand, squeezing through 156-155 to reach the title contest.
South Korea then pushed the Indian pair to the limit in the final, but the Indians responded under pressure to secure the championship.
Their success followed another major performance by India’s compound archers earlier in the day.
Jyothi, Chikitha and Prithika defeated China 238-234 in the women’s team final. Their score of 238 equalled the world record previously set by South Korea.
The result also allowed India to retain the women’s compound team title it had won at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Wednesday’s two gold medals therefore carried significance beyond the medal table: the women successfully defended their Asian Games title, the mixed pair secured an Olympic quota, and Chikitha emerged as the common link between both victories.
