President Droupadi Murmu on 30 September 2026 congratulated India's compound archery teams and the trap mixed team pair on their gold medal victories at the Asian Games 2026, lauding Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru, Kushal Dalal, Neeru Dhanda, and Kynan Chenai for their precision, consistency, and teamwork. India completed a clean sweep of all three compound team archery golds — a remarkable feat in a single edition of the Games.

Historic Compound Archery Clean Sweep

India's compound archers produced a dominant campaign, claiming gold in the men's, women's, and mixed team events — a first-of-its-kind clean sweep. The women's team of Chikitha Taniparthi, Prithika Pradeep, and Jyothi Surekha Vennam successfully defended their gold medal, beating China 238-234. The mixed team of Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Rajesh Jadhav followed up with another gold that also secured an LA 2028 Olympic quota place for India.

The men's team final was the most dramatic of the three, ending in a 238-237 comeback win over China. India trailed 118-120 after two ends before steadily clawing back. A pivotal fourth end saw China hit an eight on their opening arrow — a costly slip — while India shot three perfect 10s to open an unassailable lead and hold on despite China's subsequent recovery.

Tense Men's Final: How India Turned It Around

China had begun impeccably, posting a perfect 60 from their first six arrows in End 1, while India trailed with 58. Both teams shot perfect 10s in End 2, keeping China ahead 120-118. Notably, one of China's arrows was initially marked nine before an umpire review upgraded it to ten, keeping China's perfect scorecard intact.

India closed the gap to a single point after End 3, reducing the deficit to 178-179, as China dropped their first point. The decisive moment came in End 4 when China faltered on their opening arrow, and India capitalised with three consecutive perfect 10s to seize a one-point lead they would not relinquish.

Trap Mixed Team Gold: Dhanda and Chenai Triumph

Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai claimed gold in the trap mixed team event, defeating top-seeded Qatar in a tense final. The pair had qualified fourth for the four-team final with a score of 136 in qualification — behind China, Qatar, and Iran — but showed composure under pressure in the knockout rounds to seal the title. The victory adds to what has been a standout Asian Games campaign for Indian shooting.

President Murmu's Tributes on X

President Murmu posted separate congratulatory messages on X for both sets of medallists. For the compound men's team, she wrote: 'Heartiest congratulations to Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru and Kushal Dalal on winning the Gold Medal in the Compound Men's Team event at the Asian Games 2026! Completing a clean sweep of Gold across all three Compound Team events, Indian archery has achieved a remarkable feat. Your precision, consistency and teamwork have made this a memorable campaign for India. My best wishes to you for many more achievements ahead.' For Dhanda and Chenai, she posted: 'I extend my warmest congratulations to Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai on winning the Gold Medal in the Trap Mixed Team event at the Asian Games 2026. Your remarkable precision and teamwork have made every target count, delivering a memorable triumph for India. My best wishes to both of you for many more successes.'

What This Means for India's Olympic Ambitions

Beyond the medals, the mixed team compound gold doubles as a qualifying result, confirming an Olympic quota berth for India at the LA 2028 Games. This is a significant administrative milestone as Indian archery continues to build its competitive depth ahead of the Olympics. The Asian Games performance also marks India's strongest showing in compound archery at the continental level.