Vijayawada archer Vennam Jyothi Surekha has emerged Asian champion by winning the individual gold in the final defeating Iranian Afsaneh by a margin of four points (141-137). Surekha, an archer representing the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) and a student of Koneru Lakshmaiah University, was off to flying start by taking narrow lead (29-28, 28-27) and later increased to six by punching 30-26.
She maintained her focus in the subsequent games to keep the Iranian in leash to win the coveted medal.
However, in the compound team final, India with Jyothi Surekha, Swati and Jayalakshmi faced a setback as they lost to a much-focussed rival Korea in the finial by a meagre margin of two points (232-234). Surekha, among stood out as she punched total 80 points while her mates garnered 76 each. The 19-year-old archer finished the season in a triumphant manner by winning six international medals, two gold, three silver and one bronze. She won two individual golds in the Asia Cup (March) and Asian Championship (November), both held in Bangkok.
She won three silver in the World University Games at Gwangju (mixed team), Asia Cup (mixed team) and Asian Championship (women team). She won the lone bronze when the women team finished third in the Asia Cup.
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