Salunkhe becomes first Indian to win Youth World Championship in recurve category

LIMERICK (IRELAND)— Youth World Championships as India finished with their highest-ever tally of 11 medals.

The 19-year-old from Satara in Maharashtra provided the perfect icing on the cake by defeating a Korean in the Under-21 men's recurve individual final, here on Sunday.

Salunkhe, who topped the rankings round, prevailed over seventh seed Song Injun 7-3 (26-26, 25-28, 28-26, 29-26, 28-26) in a hard-fought five-setter.

India also clinched a bronze medal in the Under-21 women's recurve individual section when Bhaja Kaur defeated Su Hsin-Yu of Chinese Taipei 7-1 (28-25, 27-27, 29-25, 30-26).

India finished with six gold, one silver and four bronze medals, which was highest in the standings in terms of total number of medals.

But in terms of rankings they finished second behind Korea who took the pole position with six gold and four silver medals.

Salunkhe trailed 1-3 after Injun hitting two perfect 10s and three 9s from first six arrows.

Just when it seemed a familiar Korean dominance over India, the former senior national champion Salunkhe fought back clinching the third set by two points, drilling one arrow closer to the centre (X) and made it three-all.

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Pressure was writ large on Injun, as Salunkhe went on to hit two 10s and one 9 to snatch a 5-3 lead before finishing off in style with two Xs.

Son of a teacher, Salunkhe, whose talent was first tapped by coach Praveen Sawant during the post-pandemic phase in 2021, became the first male archer to become a youth world champion.

After Sawant discovered his talent, Salunkhe trained under Ram Avdesh at the SAI centre in Sonipat.

In women's recurve section, Deepika Kumari had become cadet and youth world champions in 2009 and 2011, a feat that was emulated by her Jharkhand statemate Komalika Bari in 2019 and 2021.

Overall, Salunkhe is the sixth Indian archer to become world champion in the youth showpiece.

Compound archers Palton Hansda (2006) and the duo of Aditi Swami and Priyansh who won here are the other youth world champions.

Salunkhe has previously won a silver in the Singapore Asia Cup Leg 3 in June this year, and two bronze medals in the same event in Sulaymaniyah and Sharjah last year.