Antalya: India bagged their second gold medal at the Archery World Cup (WC) Stage 1 as the recurve mixed team of Tarundeep Rai and Ridhi Phor came from behind to pip Great Britain in the shoot-off here Sunday. It was grit and determination that helped Rai and Ridhi stand atop the podim.
Pairing up for the first time ever, two-time Olympian Rai and the young Ridhi trailed twice 0-2 and 2-4. However, they held their nerve to close out the tie 5-4 (35-37, 36-33, 39-40, 38-37, 18-17 en route to their maiden gold medal. The Archery Association of India (AAI) congratulated the two for their stupendous feat.
India thus concluded their campaign in the first event of the calendar year with two gold medals. The first one came when the compound men’s team of Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan and Aman Saini clinched the title Saturday.
Incidentally for the 38-year-old Rai, who won the Asian Games silver in Guangzhou 2010, this was his first-ever mixed team medal in the World Cup. And for 17-year-old Ridhi, this was her first ever World Cup medal as the duo showed amazing character to come back twice and seal the issue in the shoot-off with two 9s. The British duo of Bryony Pitman and Alex Wise shot 9 and 8.
It was a disastrous start for the new-look Indian pair as it shot the red-ring twice to lose the first set by two points. However, Rai and Ridhi were able to level the score in the second set, thanks to two below-par rounds (7-8) by the British pair.
The third set was a high-scoring affair as Rai and Ridhi shot 39/40, but their rivals went ahead by a point, drilling in a perfect 40/40 with two Xs (closest to the centre) to push the Indian duo behind once again.
Not ready to give up, Rai and Ridhi shot two 10s to put pressure on their rivals, who misfired in the red ring once and the match went to the shoot off. In the shoot off, the Indians held their nerves together to emerge victorious.
“It indeed feels great to win the gold, which is also my first World Cup medal,” Ridhi said after receiving the medal. “We never lost hope even though at times we were trailing,” she added.
Rai on the other hand stated that he has ticked off one more box in his bucket list. “Yes, the World Cup medal was missing in my closet. I am happy that I have managed to fill it up and that too with the gold medal. It couldn’t have been anything better,” Rai stated.