Medellin (Colombia), June 15 (IANS) India’s 16-year-old compound archer Aditi Gopichand Swami made history by smashing the under-18 world record on debut and qualified for the next round in top position in the third stage of the Archery World Cup here.
The Indian prodigy topped the compound women’s field on Wednesday with 711 points in the 72-arrow 50-metre qualification, ahead of compatriot Jyothi Surekha Vennam and home favourite Sara Lopez, the youngster finishing with a perfect 60.
Debutant Aditi Swami beat the previous best of 705 in the U-18 section, set in May this year by Liko Arreola, who was also making her debut for the US senior team, finishing ninth (698).
“I feel amazing and I am very happy,” the Indian teenager was quoted as saying by World Archery in a report on its website.
“I didn’t expect that I was going to shoot like that and that score, b’t now I’m very happy with that score because I’m only 16 years old.”
It was a strong day for India, with three of the top six women including the top two – Aditi and Jyothi – with Lopez the next highest seed having led at the halfway stage.
That saw India (Aditi Swami, Jyothi Vennam and Parneet Kaur) top the seedings in the compound women’s team event with 2119, just one point off the world record set by Korea last week in Singapore.
The Colombian trio of Sara Lopez, Daniela Atehortua Meneses and Alejandra Usquiano finished second nine points back, as the two teams thrived on the same targets on the far left of the field in the headquarters of the Liga Antioqueana de Tiro con Arco here.
–IANS
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