Archery World Cup: Jyothi Surekha Vennam finishes sixth in qualification, Indian women seeded third

Jyothi Surekha Vennam once again led the way as the best Indian archer on display at the Shanghai 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup stage 2, finishing sixth in qualification on Tuesday.

The Indian, who started the season with a stunning week in Antalya in the first World Cup stage, shot 693 out of 720, recovering from a less-than-ideal first half to be in the top eight. In Antalya, she had shot a world record-equalling 713 to earn the top seeding but conditions were different in Shanghai.

Archery World Cup: Jyothi Surekha Vennam’s sensational week in Turkey ends with a long-awaited gold

“It wasn’t a great day,” Vennam told World Archery. “We could have done better, not the usual conditions that I have experienced before in Shanghai.” The report added that the archers in Shanghai had to “contend with a changing, swirling wind” on Tuesday.

Only a total of 11 compound men and women archers shot in excess of 700 on the day, after a high-scoring start to the circuit last month in Turkey.

Among men, Ojas Pravin Deotale once again topped the charts among Indians and will shoot in the mixed team with Vennam as the sixth seeds. Deotale and Vennam had won gold in Antalya last month.

The Indian women’s team earned the third seeding overall, while the men were seeded fifth.

The Shanghai World Cup sees the Korean archers join the circuit for the first time this year, having missed in Antalya due to their selection trials. And it was Koreans who earned the top seeding across all five compound disciplines.