India clinched a bronze medal in the compound men’s team event to open their account in the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Medellin, Colombia.
Rajat Chouhan, Sandeep Kumar and Ratan Singh Khuraijam overcame stiff resistance from the hosts to win 215-210 en route to the bronze medal on Saturday night, according to information received here.
The trio of Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Biruly will aim for a gold in the women’s recurve team summit clash against top seeds China later in the day.
India have another medal chance in the recurve mixed team bronze play-off where Atanu Das and Deepika will fight it out against the Mexicans.
In the compound bronze medal play-off, the Indians were up against home favourites Juan Carlos Carrasquilla, Camilo Andres Cardona and and José Carlos Ospina as there was a huge crowd cheering for the Colombian trio.
But the Indians began solidly to take a 52-50 lead in the first end.
The Colombians made a comeback in the second with two perfect 10s for a cumulative 54 against their opponents’ 50 to lead by 104-102.
Fresh from a mixed silver medal in the last World Cup in Antalya, Rajasthan-lad Chouhan inspired the team to four perfect 10s en route to 56 as India snatched the lead 158-156 in the penultimate round.
The trio clinched the issue easily shooting 57 to deny the Colombians their first World Cup medal in the compound men’s category.
The French men’s team won their first gold medal since 2008, while the US women defeated Colombia in a rematch of the Antalya World Cup.