Jyothi, Chikhita and Prithika deliver gold as India retain women's team compound title in Nagoya
India's women's compound archery team — Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikhita Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep — won gold in the women's team compound competition at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, September 30. The trio defeated China in the final and retained the title for India.
India entered the business end of the women's team compound event in Nagoya as defending champions, having ended South Korea's dominance at the Asian Games in Hangzhou at the previous edition. Jyothi Surekha Vennam, a former national-level swimmer turned archer, was the most experienced member of the side; she won three golds at the 2023 Asian Games — women's individual, women's team and mixed team — becoming the first Indian archer to claim three titles in a single edition. Jyothi arrived in Nagoya seeking redemption after relinquishing her compound individual crown to 14-year-old Kang Yeon-seo of Korea. Chikhita, from a farming family, began formal training in 2018 after her father introduced her to archery, made her international breakthrough in 2025 and won the Under-21 women's individual gold at the 2025 World Archery Youth Championships in Winnipeg as the first Indian woman to do so; Prithika started archery as a hobby in Class 5, entered professional coaching from Class 6 and has won seven international medals.
India's path to the final included a tense match against Korea. The first end was tied 59-59, India took the second 59-56, and after scoring 58 in the third end they matched Korea's 58 in the final end to win the contest 234-233. Team reports credited Jyothi's experience alongside Chikhita and Prithika's youthful energy for the turnaround in the second end.
In the gold-medal match against China, India opened with a 60-58 first end, producing a string of perfect 10s. The second end finished 60-58 again, with India matching their opponents' score to extend their advantage and carry a 178-176 lead into the final end.
Under pressure in the deciding end, China recorded two 9s while India shot a flawless round; six perfect 10s in that final end secured the victory. The team matched the world record with that performance, and while Chikhita recorded a few 9s across the match, Jyothi and Prithika shot perfectly in several ends.
The gold medals and the trio's reactions added colour to the field in Nagoya as India began their crown defence, with their coach visibly pleased by the result. The win allows India to retain the women's team compound title at the Asian Games and equals the world record for the event.
