Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam scripted history on Saturday by becoming the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the Archery World Cup final, clinching the bronze with a flawless performance in Nanjing, China.
The third seed was at her clinical best, stunning second seed Ella Gibson of Britain 150-145 in a one-sided bronze medal match, shooting a perfect 15 tens in 15 arrows.
Jyothi began her campaign with a composed 143-140 quarterfinal win over Alexis Ruiz of the United States. She then went down fighting to world No. 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico 143-145 in a tight semifinal contest.
Bouncing back with characteristic grit, Jyothi produced her best shooting of the tournament in the bronze medal clash, dominating Gibson to secure India’s first-ever medal in the event.
Currently ranked world No. 3 in women’s compound, Jyothi qualified for the Nanjing Finals through her world ranking. This marked her third consecutive appearance at the season-ending event, following previous participations in Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023).
In the same category, Madhura Dhamangaonkar bowed out in the opening round after a narrow 142-145 defeat to Mexico’s Mariana Bernal.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Yadav, Jyothi’s partner in India’s gold medal-winning compound mixed team at the Auburndale World Cup earlier this year, will take on South Korea’s Kim Jongho in the men’s compound quarterfinals.
All eight finalists in each category qualified for the World Cup Final either by winning one of the four stages, Auburndale, Shanghai, Antalya, and Madrid, or through their World Cup rankings.
India enjoyed a stellar World Cup season in 2025, claiming 14 medals (three gold, four silver and seven bronze) across the four stages, with Madhura Dhamangaonkar securing the country’s lone individual gold.