World Games 2022: Indian duo Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinch bronze medal in compound archery mixed team event

The Indian archery duo of Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinched a bronze medal in the compound mixed team archery event. This is India's first ever medal at the World Games.

The top Indian duo got the better of their Mexican rivals by one point (157-156) at the World Games in their bronze medal playoff in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, on Saturday (July 9).

Last month, the Indian duo, up against the hosts, bagged a compound mixed team gold medal at the World Cup Stage 3 in Paris. The Indian duo defeated the experienced French pair of Sophie Dodemont and Jean Philippe Boulch 152-149 in the summit clash to fetch India's first-ever World Cup gold in the compound mixed team event.

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Abhishek Verma achieves a new milestone at the World Games

Although Abhishek Verma finished without a medal in the men's individual compound archery event, he has achieved a new milestone and a massive one at that.

The 33-year-old archer ended his individual campaign with a disappointing fourth-place finish. He pulled off a major upset and stunned World No. 1 Mike Schloesser to storm into the semi-finals.

However, Abhishek suffered a 141-143 defeat at the hands of French World No. 4 Jean Philippe Boulch in the semi-finals. Later, in challenging weather conditions, he lost to lower-ranked Canadian Christopher Perkins 145-148 in the bronze playoffs.

Abhishek's bronze medal win in the mixed team event at the World Games was the ace archer's 50th podium finish at the international level.

Apart from that, the World No. 5 is now the only Indian archer to win medals in every major event in compound archery. Abhishek now has at least one medal in the World Games, World Championship, World Cup Final, World Cup, Asian Games, and Asian Championship.