Asian Games: Chikitha, Sahil enter mixed compound final

India’s Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Rajesh Jadhav edged Thailand 156-155 in the mixed compound semifinal to enter the Asian Games final. Chikitha will bid for her second gold after winning the women’s team event alongside Prithika Pradeep and Jyothi Surekha Vennam.

Okazaki: Indian mixed compound team of Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi entered the final with a 156-155 win over Thailand’s Peerawat Rattanapongkiat and Kanoknapus Kaewchomphu here at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square on Wednesday.

The Indian duo will take on the winner of the second semifinal between South Korea and China. This will be Chikitha’s second gold medal match in the ongoing Games after featuring in the women’s team gold medal win.

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Chikitha and Rajesh started off with three 10s and a nine. Thailand had a dismal start with 9 and 8 before shooting two 10s, with India holding an early lead of 39-37 after End 1.

In the End 2, a nine for Kanoknapus and 10 again from Peerawat. Chikitha and Sahil shoot 10 each, and India extends the lead to three. At the completion of End 2, India leads 77-75 after both Chikitha and Sahil shoot 9s.

Thailand had a strong start to End 3 with perfect 10s but India showed no signs of slipping up as they maintained the lead 117-115.

In the final end, the Thai pair began with perfect 10s. Chikitha, however, shot 9 as India’s lead reduced by one. But Sahil found 10, and India leads 136-135.

India were under some pressure as Kanaknopus and Peerawat 10s each. But Chikitha hit the 10 before Sahil sealed the deal with another, finding the 10 to send India into the final with a 156-155 win.

Chikitha is eyeing her second in Aichi-Nagoya, as she earlier teamed up with Prithika Pradeep and Jyothi Surekha Vennam to win the gold in the women’s team event, beating China 238-234.

India had won silver in the event in 2018 and bronze in 2014. This is India’s seventh gold at the ongoing edition of the continental showpiece. Overall, India’s medal tally currently stands at 53, including seven gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze medals.

The Indian men’s compound team will also be in action on Wednesday in the semifinal against South Korea.

India enjoyed its most successful Asian Games archery campaign in Hangzhou 2023, winning a record nine medals – five gold, two silver and two bronze. The compound archers swept all five gold medals o