Indian Archer Creates History with Stunning Victory
In a spectacular display of skill and nerve, Indian archer Ankita Bhakat produced the performance of her career on Friday, stunning Paris Olympics silver medallist Nam Suhyeon of South Korea to claim the gold medal at the Asian Archery Championships. The 27-year-old from West Bengal secured a remarkable 7-3 victory in a thrilling five-set women's recurve final that will be remembered as one of the biggest achievements by an Indian recurve archer in recent years.
The Dream Final: Set-by-Set Drama
Ankita Bhakat began the championship match with tremendous confidence, taking the first set 29-27 by landing two perfect 10s while her experienced opponent could manage only one perfect shot. The pressure intensified in the second set as both archers struggled, with Ankita scoring an 8 and Nam managing only a 7, resulting in a 27-27 draw.
The momentum shifted in the third set when Nam Suhyeon fought back to win 28-26, capitalizing on Bhakat's temporary inability to hit the 10 ring. However, the Indian archer demonstrated remarkable mental strength by refusing to panic under pressure.
Ankita responded with another brilliant performance in the fourth set, firing two 10s to secure a 29-28 victory and move ahead 5-3 in the match. The stage was set for a dramatic conclusion.
In the decisive fifth set, Ankita Bhakat maintained her composure under immense pressure. She delivered back-to-back perfect 10s to claim the set 29-27 and seal the match 7-3, triggering wild celebrations from the Indian contingent.
Road to Gold: Overcoming Challenges
Earlier in the day, Ankita Bhakat had already created waves by defeating her senior teammate and former world number one Deepika Kumari in a nerve-wracking semifinal encounter. The two Indian archers were locked at 5-5 after five intense sets, forcing a shoot-off where both competitors shot 9s.
In a moment of high drama, Ankita's arrow landed millimeters closer to the center, earning her the victory and a place in the gold-medal match against the formidable Korean opponent.
Changing of the Guard in Indian Archery
The bronze-medal match featured another all-Indian contest where Sangeeta edged out five-time Olympian Deepika Kumari 6-5 in another shoot-off. These results signal a significant shift in Indian women's recurve archery, with younger archers establishing themselves on the continental stage.
Significance of the Victory
This gold medal represents Ankita Bhakat's first individual title at a major Asian-level event and stands as the crowning achievement of her career so far. Defeating an Olympic silver medallist like Nam Suhyeon, who is considered one of Asia's most consistent performers, provides the Indian archer with tremendous confidence as she looks ahead to the 2026 Asian Games and future World Cup seasons.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Indian archery, demonstrating that the next generation of athletes is ready to compete and succeed at the highest levels of international competition.
