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Asian Games: Three perfect 10s, one perfect gold for archers Jyothi, Aditi and Parneet

Jyothi Surekha Vennam (L), Parneet Kaur( C) and Aditi Gopichand Swami (R) scored three tens in the final end to win the women's team gold in compound archery during the 19th Asian Games, Hangzhou. ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images

The Indian women's compound archery landed in Hangzhou as world champions, they will leave it as Asian Games gold medallists.

It may have been expected, given their pedigree, but it was not routine: not by a margin.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur continued India's dominance of compound archery at the Games on a third straight day: we've now seen an all-Indian semifinal, an all-Indian final set up and a mixed team gold medal already. But Thursday morning had a new challenge in store - gusty wind speeds that affected their ever reliable perfect 10 arrows and the massive pressure of having an early deficit in the final.

India overcame both with clutch shooting to serve a reminder of why this team are world champions.

Taking on Chinese Taipei in the final, the Indians had a forgettable first end. There was only hit of 10 from the 6 arrows (each archer takes turns to shoots twice in an end), the steady Jyothi being the only one to find the centre circle of yellow.

Their opponents surged ahead of India by two points after opening end 56-54, despite one wild 7.

The pressure was on India as favourites, while Chinese Taipei were coming in with an upset win over South Korea. They followed with three more 10s and India had two more hits of 9... one and a half end in and there was trouble already in the final.

The next 3 arrows:

  • India - 10. 10. 10.

  • Chinese Taipei - 9. 9. 7.

Talk about delivering under pressure, together as a team. India had a slender lead at 112-111. They had to hold on now.

But they lost it after the next three arrows as Taipei hit 30 and India had a 29, a lone 9 from Parneet. Then there were another 30 from Taipei, who were also shrugging off the bad arrows and regrouping quick.

India needed to be perfect after this... which they were. A perfect 30.

Coach Sergio Pagni kept egging them on, the team keeping their body language positive and the smile present on 17-year-old world champ Aditi's face constant, even as the wind blew around them and the scoreboard maintained pressure.

Having a winning combination here had to help. They each knew their strengths and believed in each other. Remember, two days back Jyothi and Aditi were facing off for a place in the final in a repeat of the World Championship. This time Jyothi won and the teen was unfazed by her loss because it came against "her idol." That's a special combination right there.

With one final end to go, scores were level 171-171 and there was no margin for error at all.

India shot first, Parneet with a 10 but Aditi hit a 9 while veteran Jyothi, always shooting last of the three, hit the centre again. Chinese Taipei matched that.

With 3 arrows to go, things are still level at 200-200. It had to be a perfect 30 again or India would have no control over their destiny. There had been 9s before but they could not afford them now.

  • Parneet - 10

  • Aditi - 10

  • Jyothi - of course, a 10.

This time, the pressure got to Chinese Taipei and their fourth arrow was a 9 - conforming yet another gold medal for India.

From having to shoot from behind to winning the gold before the match was over, the final was a rollercoaster. But it ended with India on top.

Each of the three stumbled at one point, with a 9 that could mean the difference between gold and silver. But each of them picked themselves up and shot back with a 10 to keep India in the hunt.

The highlight was the consistency of Jyothi, who won a second straight gold medal in as many days with only one shot of 9 in her 8 arrows. This is a platform she has craved for, and she is shining in the spotlight.

There has been a lot said about the importance of this Asian Games for Indian compound archery on these very pages. Today was another reminder of why.