The Indian trio of Jyothi Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur on Friday became the first ever archers from the country to win a gold medal at the Archery World Championships. Playing in the women’s team compound event, the Indians beat Mexico 235-229 in the final to clinch the gold medal in Berlin.

The Indians started the match strong, missing the 10-point mark just once in the opening end to lead Mexico 59-57.

They continued in the same vein at the end of the second end, scoring another 59 to Mexico’s 58, to lead 118-115.

As the Indians continued to put up a strong display in the third end as well – scoring yet another 59 – Mexico began to falter, managing only 57. It gave the Indians a comfortable five-point lead going into the final end.

The Mexican team of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon and Andrea Becerra managed to score another 57 in the final end, leaving Vennam – a four-time silver and two-time bronze medallist at the World Championships – needing to hit just a five to secure gold. She struck nine to give India their first ever gold medal at the Worlds.

“We’re very happy we’ve won the first title for India,” said Swami to World Archery after the match. “We just focused on our shooting, and we were confident that we would win.”

The trio will be in action on Saturday as well when they compete in the quarter-finals of the women’s individual compound event.

Swami will face the Netherlands’ Sanne de Laat, while Vennam faces Kaur for a spot in the semi-final.

In the men’s individual compound event, Ojas Deotale will compete in the quarter-final against Poland’s Przemyslaw Konecki.