Picture Credit: Twitter
Aditi Swami, a 17-year-old archer from Hyderabad, etched history by becoming India's first-ever individual archery world champion. She won the gold medal in the women's compound individual event at the World Archery Championships 2023 in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, August 5.
Aditi defeated two-time World Championships medallist Andrea Becerra in a thrilling final that went down to the wire, as the Indian scored 149 points out of a possible 150, while Becerra scored 147 points. The World No. 9 had earlier defeated Brazil’s Eiry Cristina Snak Nisi and upset the more experienced Jyothi Surekha Vennam in the semifinals.
"All my efforts so far have borne fruit today. I have been waiting to have the 52-second national anthem playing on the podium... This is only the beginning; I want to win the Asian Games gold medal next for India," Aditi said after her win.
The 17-year-old became India’s first-ever archery world champion in the process and made history. Aditi Gopichand Swami initially burst onto the scene with an impressive performance at the Archery World Cup Stage Three in Medellin, Colombia, where the debutant smashed the Under 18 world record and topped the compound women’s field. Aditi further carried the momentum to the Youth World Championships, where she won gold.
Aditi's gold medal was India's second medal at the World Archery Championships 2023, after the women's compound team consisting of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami won the gold medal on Friday, August 4. The Indian trio defeated the Mexican team of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofa Hernandez Jeon, and Andrea Becerra 235-229 in the gold medal match.
