How all-weather training helped Indian archers win 3 compound golds at Asian Games
India swept all three compound archery gold medals at the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, but the clean sweep was months in the making. From training in the cold and rain of Himachal Pradesh to battling intense heat in Sonipat and strong winds in Kurobe City, Japan, India's archers prepared for every challenge that came their way in Nagoya.
The coaching staff also used match simulations to replicate pressure situations, ensuring the archers were ready for the decisive moments. The meticulous preparation paid off as India produced a historic gold-medal sweep in the compound events.
Sahil Rajesh Jadhav was at the heart of India's success, winning two gold medals on a memorable day for Indian archery. The 25-year-old from Satara, Maharashtra, first teamed up with Chikitha Taniparthi to win the mixed team compound title before joining Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru in the men's team event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sports Authority of India (@media.iccsai)
The Indian men's team edged China 238-237 in a closely fought final, shortly after Sahil and Chikitha had beaten South Korea in a shoot-off to win the mixed team title.
Earlier in the day, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep defeated China 238-234 in the women's compound team final. Their score equalled the world record.
Behind India's unprecedented success was meticulous planning by the coaching staff at the SAI National Centres of Excellence in Kolkata and Sonipat. The focus was not only on technique but also on preparing the archers to deal with different weather conditions and pressure situations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sports Authority of India (@media.iccsai)
Sahil's coach Haresh Kumar spoke about the different conditions the archers trained in during their preparations for the Asian Games.
"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," Haresh told SAI Media.
The archers then travelled to Japan around 10-15 days before the Asian Games and continued their preparations in Kurobe City, where they had to deal with strong winds.
"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," Haresh said.
The preparation was also about making sure the archers were ready for the pressure of competition. Simulation training at SAI Sonipat helped them recreate match situations and work on the tactics required for crucial contests.
That preparation was put to the test in the mixed team final. Sahil and Chikitha held their nerve in the shoot-off against South Korea to secure the gold medal.
For Sahil, the double gold was a reward for months of hard work, but the 25-year-old was already looking ahead to his next challenge.
"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," Sahil told SAI Media in a video call.
The victory also earned Sahil an Olympic quota for India in the mixed compound event for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
"I am happy that I was able to deliver my best performance today and also earned a quota for the next Olympics," he said.
Sahil, who trains at the SAI NCOE in Kolkata, said he was confident of producing a strong performance when he travelled to Japan for the Asian Games.
"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.
Haresh was delighted with the way Sahil executed the plans they had worked on in training. "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.
"Sahil had worked hard during practice. That is why he was able to convert his sweat and hard work into gold medals."
The three gold medals in Nagoya were the result of a preparation programme that took India's archers through different weather conditions and pressure situations before they arrived at the Asian Games.- Ends
