Dubai, Feb 27: Rookie para archer Pooja Jatyan on Sunday scripted history as she became the first Indian to win a silver in an individual section of the Para World Championships here.
Pooja lost to Italian Petrilli Vincenza in the summit clash to end her World Para Championships dream run with a silver medal.
Looking to become the first woman archery world champion at the senior level, the 24-year-old from Gurugram was up against Tokyo Paralympics silver medalist from Italy in the final.
Pooja put up a valiant show racing to a 3-1 lead but the world No. 7 Italian used her vast experience to bounce back and down the Indian 3-7 (24-24, 23-21, 26-28, 24-26, 25-27).
India thus ended their best ever World Archery Para Championships with two silver medals, a first for the country.
India had earlier participated in two World Championships – Beijing 2017 and Den Bosch 2019 where Paralympic archer Rakesh Kumar came close to winning the bronze medal.
Earlier, Pooja created history by becoming the first Indian to enter the final in an individual section of the Para World Championships.
Indian (able-bodied) compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam has previously entered the World Championships individual recurve women’s final, winning a silver at Yankton 2021. (PTI)
