India and Mexico win first team World Championship golds in Gwangju

History was made for both India and Mexico as the countries gold medalled for the first time in the World Championship compound team events at Gwangju.

Rishabh Yadav, Aman Saini and Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge eventually defeated France in a nail-biting finish of the compound men’s team where scores were tied at 205 heading into each archer’s last remaining arrow.

It was Jean Philippe Boulch and Nicolas Girard however who blinked first dropping nines and ended any hope of France reclaiming the World title they achieved in Jakarta 1995 – which was the first edition that included the compound teams event – whilst the last three arrows by India all hitting 10 to make it [235-233].

“We started slow,” said Rishabh who had lost the mixed team final with Jyothi Surekha Vennam. “We were two points down in the first round but I talked to my team, saying ‘it’s still three more rounds and there’s nothing to lose because [India] compound men’s team for the first time is in this event.” 

“When the match got close, the hope started to build up, and then it changed to, ‘now it’s time, we have to get the gold.’”

“Then eventually in the last rotation, France dropped two points and and it’s definitely a proud feeling when you are in the last rotation, you shoot well and you win, it’s a different kind of moment to celebrate.”

France will be ruing that fateful fifth end but considering how vastly deep India’s men squad is and their success in World Cups – former World Youth champion Priyansh and Archery World Cup Final silver medallist Abhishek Verma didn’t even make Gwangju – it felt only a matter of time before the country triumphed.

Particularly for 23 year old archer Rishabh who before arriving in Korea dedicated his career to Verma in an emotional post on Instagram, revealing how he helped him get into the sport and buy his first bow.

India are widely known to have one of the most ruthless programs, holding several national trials a year in order to put out the best squad based on recent form for every major tournament, regardless of how well one archer’s curriculum vitae might say.