Saturday marked a momentous day for India as young archer Aditi Gopichand Swami etched her name in the annals of history by securing India’s first-ever individual gold medal at the World Archery Championships. The extraordinary feat took place during the ongoing edition of the championship in Berlin.
Also Read: Indian Women Win Historic Gold In World Archery Championship 2023
Hailing from the ranks of Khelo India athletes, 17-year-old Aditi displayed exceptional prowess in the women’s individual compound archery event. In a thrilling title clash, she faced off against Mexico’s Andrea Beccera. With nerves of steel and unparalleled skill, Aditi emerged triumphant with a narrow scoreline of 149-147, claiming the coveted title of ‘World Champion.’
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) swiftly acknowledged Aditi’s remarkable accomplishment, expressing their jubilation on Twitter. They lauded her historic win, “Heartiest congratulations to KheloIndia Athlete Aditi Gopichand Swami, crowned World Champion at the Archery World Championships! The 17-year-old created history by defeating Andrea Beccera 149-147 in the Women’s Individual Compound final and winning the glorious gold for India.”
#KheloIndia Athlete Aditi Gopichand Swami crowned World Champion at the #ArcheryWorldChampionships🇩🇪🏹
The 17 year old created history by defeating 🇲🇽’s Andrea Beccera 149-147 in the Women’s Individual Compound final and winning the glorious🥇for 🇮🇳
Heartiest congratulations! pic.twitter.com/polCvgfFUW
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 5, 2023
The news reverberated across the world of archery, drawing accolades from the sport’s governing body, World Archery. They proudly tweeted, “Aditi Swami gets the FIRST individual WORLD TITLE for India. The 17-year-old prodigy is now the world champion. #WorldArchery.”
Aditi Swami gets the FIRST individual WORLD TITLE for India.
The 17-year-old prodigy is now the world champion. 🏆#WorldArchery pic.twitter.com/oBbtgxyzq3— World Archery (@worldarchery) August 5, 2023
Notably, it was not the only gold medal moment for India at the championship. Prior to Aditi’s individual victory, the Indian women’s compound team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami, secured another historic gold for the nation. Their exceptional teamwork and skill saw them triumph over the Mexican trio of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofa Hernandez Jeon, and Andrea Becerra with a scoreline of 235-229.
In the pursuit of gold, the Indian team navigated their way through tough competition. Placed second in the qualification round, they displayed mettle and determination, defeating the defending champions, Colombia, in the semi-finals with a score of 220-216.
The journey to the top was no easy feat, as the Indian compound team faced stiff competition throughout the championship. With a bye in the first round, they battled valiantly, securing victories against Chinese Taipei and Turkey in the quarter-finals and pre-quarterfinals, respectively.
This historic achievement adds another illustrious chapter to India’s archery journey. With a total of 13 medals in the World Archery Championships, including two golds, nine silvers, and two bronzes, India’s prowess in the sport continues to shine brightly on the global stage.
