BANGKOK: India's compound archers dished out a strong show, clinching the mixed team gold and women's team silver at the Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage 1 to take their tally to four medals, here on Friday.
With this, India's overall tally stands at one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, with the earlier medals coming from the women's recurve team and the men's compound team on Wednesday.
The Indian contingent is also assured of four more medals, with entries in three finals later in the day -- the women's recurve individual (Ridhi Phor), the men's recurve team, and the men's compound individual, which will feature an all-Indian summit clash.
The highlight of the morning session was the top-seeded compound mixed team pair of Chikitha Taniparthi and Rajat Chauhan, who held their nerve to edge past second-seeded Malaysia 158-156 in a tense gold-medal clash.
In a contest defined by precision and composure, the difference boiled down to narrow margins as India dropped just two points across 16 arrows, while Malaysia dropped four.
The Indian duo got off to a perfect start with four consecutive 10s and maintained their rhythm despite minor lapses in the middle phase. After three ends, they held a slender one-point lead at 118-117.
The Malaysian pair of Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh and Mohd Juwaidi Mazuki had briefly seized momentum in the third end, shooting a perfect 40 while India managed 39.
However, in the decisive final end, Chikitha and Rajat showcased their experience under pressure, firing four successive 10s to close out the match.
Malaysia could only manage 39, handing India a two-point victory.
This gold also marked a significant turnaround after India had returned empty-handed in the mixed team event in the previous edition.
Later, the Indian women's compound team comprising Chikitha, Raj Kaur and Tejal Salve settled for silver after going down 227-229 to Kazakhstan's Viktoriya Lyan, Diana Yunussova and Roxana Yunussova in the final.
Despite the loss, it was an improvement from their bronze medal finish in the last edition.
India started strongly and led 115-113 at the halfway stage after 12 arrows. However, a below-par third end saw them shoot 54, while Kazakhstan produced a decisive 58 to overturn the deficit and take a 171-169 lead.
The fourth and final end was evenly matched and locked at 58-58 as Kazakhstan's third-end advantage proved decisive as India had to settle for a silver.