India wins nine medals to top Asian Para Archery Championships

BANGKOK: World No. 5 Rakesh Kumar led the Indian challenge with a hat-trick of gold as the contingent pipped heavyweights South Korea to top the medal standings with nine medals at the Asian Para Archery Championships on Wednesday.

India bagged four gold, four silver and one bronze, while South Korea finished their campaign with five medals to settle for the second spot.

Rakesh, the 38-year-old Hangzhou Para Asian Games silver medallist, produced a stunning final end to overcome a two-point midway deficit and clinch the men’s compound open crown with a 145-144 win over Indonesia’s Ken Swagumilang.

Earlier, Rakesh partnered Suraj Singh to win the men’s compound open team gold with a 147-144 win over Chinese Taipei’s Chung-Hung Wu and Chih-Chiang Chng.

He then won the mixed team gold with Sheetal Devi defeating Indonesia’s Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang 154-149.

In the women’s recurve open team final, India lost to Indonesia in the tie-breaker 4-5. The men’s recurve doubles team of Harvinder and Vivek Chikara then went down to South Korea 2-6 to settle for a silver.

The men’s recurve W1 doubles team of Adil and Naveen lost to South Korea 122-137 to bag a third silver.

Sheetal Devi also had to settle for a silver after being pipped by Singapore’s Nur Syahidah Alim in the shoot-off. Both were tied at 142-142 after the regulation five ends, and the shoot-off too produced a 10-all tie as Nur was adjudged winner with her arrow closer to the centre.

Sarita had earlier won a bronze in the women’s individual compound category defeating teammate Jyoti.