Para Archery World Series
Nove Mesto (Czech Republic), July 4: India enjoyed another fruitful day at the World Para Archery Series here on Saturday with Bhawna clinching the women’s recurve title in dramatic fashion, while reigning world champion Sheetal Devi completed a three-medal haul by adding an individual silver to the compound mixed team gold and women’s team bronze she had won earlier.
Bhawna staged a remarkable comeback to beat compatriot Pooja 6-5 (9-8) in an all-India women’s recurve final that was decided in a shoot-off.
Trailing 0-4 after losing the opening two sets 20-25 and 20-23, Bhawna fought back by taking the third set 25-24 with consistent shooting (9, 8, 8).
The fourth set ended 26-26, leaving her 3-5 behind before she produced a near-perfect 29-23 fifth set, dropping just one point to force a shoot-off, which she won 9-8.
Paris Paralympics gold medallist Harvinder Singh settled for silver after going down 4-6 to Italy’s Stefano Travisani in the men’s recurve final.
Harvinder lost 26-29 in the opening set, drew the second 25-25, won the third 27-22, before Travisani claimed the fourth 28-26.
The fifth set ended 27-27, giving the Italian the title.
Armless world champion and Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Sheetal lost 141-143 to Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham in the compound women’s final.
Grinham led from the opening end and maintained her advantage throughout to deny the Indian the gold.
Earlier, Sheetal partnered Shyam Sundar Swami to win the compound mixed team gold, overcoming Indonesia’s Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang 147-143 after trailing 72-73 at the halfway stage.
India also claimed bronze in both the compound men’s and women’s team events.
Toman Kumar and Shyam Sundar Swami edged France’s Maxime Guerin and Thierry Joussaume 150-148, while Sheetal and Payal Nag pipped Slovakia’s Dominika Petrovicova and Liliana Lacova 140-139.
Earlier in the day, Toman Kumar narrowly missed an individual medal after losing 136-144 to Great Britain’s Nathan MacQueen in the compound men’s bronze-medal match. (PTI)
