Ganesh Mani Ratnam wins compound archery bronze at Asian Games

Nagoya (Japan): Indian archer Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru won the bronze medal in the men’s individual compound event at the Asian Games after producing a commanding performance in the playoff on Thursday.

The 20-year-old defeated Vietnam’s Cong Duc Dang 149-144 to secure his second medal of the Games. Ganesh had been part of India’s gold-medal-winning men’s compound team on Wednesday and added an individual bronze to his collection.

Ganesh’s performance in the playoff was marked by remarkable consistency. He hit the target with 14 of his 15 arrows, maintaining control throughout the contest and denying his Vietnamese opponent any opportunity to stage a comeback.

The Indian archer had earlier missed out on a place in the individual gold-medal match after losing his semifinal. However, he quickly regrouped and produced a near-perfect display in the bronze-medal playoff.

The victory continued India’s strong showing in compound archery, a discipline in which the country has emerged as a major force at continental competitions. The men’s team title on Wednesday had already strengthened India’s position among the leading nations in the event.

Ganesh’s achievement also highlighted the depth of India’s compound archery programme, with athletes competing successfully in both team and individual events. His ability to recover from the disappointment of a semifinal defeat and deliver under pressure was central to his medal-winning performance.

The bronze added to India’s growing medal tally at the Asian Games and gave the young archer another major achievement early in his international career. With the team gold and individual bronze, Ganesh now leaves the competition with medals in both events he contested.