Parth Salunkhe, a 19-year-old archer from Satara, Maharashtra, achieved a remarkable feat at the Youth World Championships. He won a shiny gold medal in the recurve category, becoming the very first male archer from India to achieve this feat. This win was a special time for India as they earned an amazing total of 11 medals in the championships, breaking all previous records.
In an impressive display of skill and determination, Parth emerged victorious in the Under-21 men’s recurve individual final held in Limerick, Ireland. His final match saw him triumph over a talented Korean archer, adding the perfect finishing touch to his outstanding performance.
This achievement not only highlights Parth Salunkhe’s talent and dedication but also underscores India’s growing prowess in the sport of archery.
He won a shiny gold medal in the recurve category, making him the first male archer from India to achieve this feat.
India emerged as the ultimate champion in the event, clinching a remarkable tally of six gold, one silver, and four bronze medals. This outstanding feat propelled India to the forefront in the total medal count. Nevertheless, in the official rankings, India comfortably secured the second spot. Korea emerged as the leader in the rankings by earning four silver and six gold medals.
Parth trailed 1-3 after Injun hitting three 9s and two perfect 10s from first six arrows.
In an unexpected twist, Salunkhe, a former top-tier champion from India, staged an impressive comeback against the strong Korean players. In the last round, Salunkhe pulled off a win with just a small lead of two points. With a skillful aim, he positioned his arrow incredibly close to the middle (X), tying the game at a score of three points each.
The pressure was clearly evident as Salunkhe stepped up. With precision, he scored two bullseyes (10 points each) and one near-perfect shot (9 points), securing a 5-3 advantage. To wrap it up in a stylish manner, he flawlessly hit two more points.
Salunkhe, a young man whose parent is a teacher, displayed his incredible skill in archery when he caught the attention of coach Praveen Sawant after the pandemic in 2021. Coach Sawant noticed Salunkhe outstanding talent during that time.He created a new chapter in history by being the first young male archer to capture the youth world champion title. When Sawant saw Salunkhe talent, he made sure he could train under Ram Avadesh at the SAI center in Sonipat. Shining in the women’s recurve category, Deepika Kumari achieved incredible triumph by clinching the cadet and youth world championships in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Following in her footsteps, Komalika Bari from Jharkhand also accomplished this impressive feat in 2019 and 2021.
Moreover, Salunkhe has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the sixth Indian archer to secure the world champion title in the youth competition. In the field of compound archery, two promising champions have showcased their talent. Palton Hansda, who started archery in 2006, along with the skilled duo of Aditi Swami and Priyansh, emerged triumphant in their individual categories. categories.
Furthermore, Salunkhe, another skilled archer, showcased his talent on multiple occasions. In the beginning of this year, he achieved a second-place medal in the Singapore Asia Cup Leg 3 competition. Furthermore, he grabbed two third-place medals in the same competition that took place in Sulaymaniyah and Sharjah the previous year. Salunkhe steady and impressive displays have gained him acknowledgment and triumph in the field of archery. Whether Salunkhe will qualify for the upcoming World Championships and Asian Games is not yet clear. We will need to wait and find out if he manages to earn a place in these esteemed events.