Shyam-Jyoti pair wins India's first medal in Dubai World Archery Para C'ship, bags silver

Shyam Sundar Swami and Jyoti Baliyan bagged India's their first medal in the World Archery Para Championships after settling for a silver here on Friday. Leading by two points (78-76) at the halfway mark, the Indian duo choked under pressure in the back end to go down against Bair Shigaev and Tatiana Andrievskaia of Russia 148-150. Eyeing to become the first world champion in para archery from the country, the Indian duo started off with two 10s and two 9s to edge out the Russians by one point in the first set. A perfect second set, which included two arrows in the X (closest to the centre), ensured a two-point lead for the Indians at the halfway stage.

But they faltered with two 7s and one eight in their next eight arrows as the Russian archers sealed the issue. The Indian duo had earlier downed French pair of Julie Chupin and Thierry Joussaume 151-145 in the semifinal to assure at least a silver medal. In the quarters, they pipped Maria Andrea Virgilio and Matteo Bonacina of Italy 147-146 in an intense contest. It was at the same venue of Dubai Club for People of Determination where Shyam and Vidya had won a silver in the Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament last year. India para archers have won medals in almost every single event since 2017, except in the World Championships. India had earlier participated in two World Archery Para Championships -- Beijing 2017 and Den Bosch 2019, where Rakesh Kumar came close to winning the bronze medal. Meanwhile earlier in the day, Tokyo Paralympic bronze medallist Harvinder Singh received an opening-round bye in the men's individual open recurve event here. Harvinder, who was seeded 11th after the ranking round, will next face Spain's Jose Manuel Marin Rodriguez, ranked