Aichi-Nagoya: India’s men’s compound archery team clinched a thrilling gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 after edging past China 238-237 in a dramatic final on Wednesday.
Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Mani Ratnam held their nerve in a closely fought contest to secure India’s third gold medal in compound archery at the Games.
Sahil was the standout performer for India, finishing the final with a perfect record of hitting 10s. Kushal and Ganesh also produced crucial shots as India kept the pressure on China throughout the contest.
China made a strong start with three perfect 10s, while a nine from Kushal saw India trail 29-30 after the opening set. The Chinese maintained their accuracy in the second rotation, but India remained within touching distance at 60-58.
China continued to hold a two-point advantage midway through the contest, leading 120-118. India then responded with three consecutive 10s to reduce the deficit to one point at 149-148.
The battle remained neck-and-neck heading into the final stages, with China holding a narrow 179-178 advantage. India then produced a crucial run of perfect shots, while a disputed eight from China underwent a review.
With the gold medal on the line, Sahil, Kushal and Ganesh delivered three 10s in India’s final sequence. China also responded with three 10s, but the review of their earlier shot ultimately went in India’s favour, handing the Indian trio a one-point victory.
The triumph came after India defeated South Korea 236-229 in the semifinals, setting up the blockbuster final against China.
The gold adds to India’s impressive compound archery campaign at Aichi-Nagoya, with Indian archers having now secured three gold medals in the discipline.
