Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, the 25-year-old compound archer from Satara, Maharashtra, capped a landmark Asian Games campaign in Okazaki, Japan on 30 September by winning two gold medals in a single day — and immediately set his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. His double triumph helped India complete a clean sweep of all three compound archery gold medals at the Games.

The Double Gold in Detail

Jadhav first teamed up with Chikitha Taniparthi to claim the mixed team compound gold, defeating South Korea in a tense shoot-off. Hours later, he was at the centre of another dramatic finish as the Indian men's compound team — comprising Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru — edged China 238-237 in the final to seal the men's team title. The narrow one-point victory underlined the competitive intensity of the contest.

Earlier in the day, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep had set the tone by defeating China 238-234 in the women's compound team final, equalling the world record in the process.

An Olympic Quota Already Secured

Beyond the medals, Jadhav's performance carried a significant structural reward: India earned an Olympic quota in the mixed compound event for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Speaking on a video call with SAI Media from the competition venue, Jadhav reflected on what the day meant. 'It's okay. I am happy that I won two Asian Games gold medals and made the country and my parents proud. But there is a lot more to achieve,' he said. 'I am happy that I was able to deliver my best performance today and also earned a quota for the next Olympics,' he added.

The Preparation Behind the Performance

Jadhav trains at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata, and the road to Okazaki was built on months of gruelling, multi-condition preparation. The coaching staff deployed simulation training at SAI Sonipat to replicate competition pressure, while the squad also trained at Shillaru in Himachal Pradesh in cold and wet conditions, and endured extreme heat at Sonipat. An acclimatisation camp at Kurobe City, Japan, approximately 10-15 days before the Games, helped the archers adapt to local wind conditions.

Jadhav's coach Haresh Kumar detailed the breadth of that preparation. 'We have trained in all weather conditions. We trained at Shillaru in Himachal Pradesh, where we trained in cold and rainy conditions. Then we trained at SAI, Sonipat, where it was extremely hot. We reached Japan around 10-15 days before the Asian Games and trained in extremely windy conditions. It was all due to Sahil's efforts that he was able to convert his hard work into gold medals,' Kumar said.

Coach's Verdict and What Comes Next

Kumar reserved particular praise for the way Jadhav executed race-day tactics. 'I am happy with all his shots, as Sahil was able to perfectly execute all the tactics we had practised ahead of the Asian Games. As a coach, Sahil has made me extremely proud,' he said. Jadhav himself had arrived in Japan with quiet confidence. 'Every athlete aims to win the gold, to put up his best performance. I was confident that I had the ability to win the gold. That is why I toiled hard during practice over the past several months. I knew I could produce something special,' he said.

With the LA 2028 quota already in hand and compound archery's profile rising sharply in India, Jadhav's trajectory will be one of the most closely watched in Indian sport over the next four years.