How India recreated Asian Games venue in Sonipat before winning three archery golds

India's compound archers secured three gold medals at the Asian Games in a span of roughly two hours on Wednesday. The secret behind their success lies in the meticulous preparation done before their arrival in Japan. Back home in Sonipat, the team's coaches replicated the Asian Games venue to the tee. The Sports Authority of India centre in Sonipat housed screens, music systems, targets, and even the podium and flag colors identical to those at the Asian Games.

The archers trained in this simulated environment for about 15 days before setting off for Japan. To further simulate real competition pressure, other archers and trainees joined the national team for competitions and to create distractions. National coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja aimed to make the training feel almost identical to a major final, thus giving the archers a taste of what to expect in Japan.

Their strategy paid off handsomely. Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep won the women's team gold, followed by the mixed team victory by Chikitha and Sahil Jadhav after a tense shootout against South Korea. This win was significant as it secured India's first quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where compound mixed team archery will make its Olympic debut.

The men's team final against China saw India trailing at halftime but pulling off a brilliant finish to claim the gold with a score of 238 to 237. The unusual preparation, thus, made perfect sense when India walked away with three gold medals in a little over two hours.