The World University Games 2025 turned into a memorable day for Indian sports fans, with triumphs, heartbreaks, and inspiring moments across athletics and archery.
From early morning marathons to thrilling late-night finals, India’s athletes showcased determination and depth on the global stage.
Medals Won, Finals Secured & Archery Glory
India’s medal tally grew richer as Praveen Chithravel clinched a silver medal in the men’s triple jump, leaping 16.66m and giving the nation its first athletics medal at these Games. Earlier, Praveen opened with a solid 16.62m, improved to 16.66m, but narrowly missed out on gold after Australian Connor Murphy’s 16.77m jump. Despite fouls in his last attempts, Praveen’s performance reinforced his standing as a world-class jumper.
Meanwhile, Indian archers had a remarkable day. Parneet Kaur entered the gold medal match and eventually won silver in the women’s compound individual final after a tense duel with Korea’s Moon. Earlier, Parneet delivered near-flawless shooting in the semifinals, opening with perfect scores and building an early lead.
The highlight, however, came from Sahil Jadhav, who won gold in the men’s compound individual event by defeating British Ajay Scott 149–148. It was a story of redemption: just days before, Sahil had shot four consecutive 9s in the men’s compound team final, turning a three-point lead into a one-point loss. But he bounced back heroically in the individual rounds, holding nerve in a tight semifinal against Kushal and then firing 14 perfect 10s in the final before sealing the win with a composed final arrow.
Elsewhere in archery, Kushal entered the bronze medal match but narrowly missed a podium finish after losing 148–150 to Poland. The Indian men’s compound team’s earlier heartbreak didn’t dampen spirits, and Sahil’s gold underlined the depth in India’s compound archery.
Strong Relays, Field Events & Decathlon Battles
The track saw more Indian success as the men’s 4×400m relay team of Vishal, Ashwin, Jerome and Balakrishna clocked a quick 3:06.56 to finish second in their heat and qualify for the final. Likewise, the women’s 4×400m relay team of Anakha, Devyaniba, Rashdeep and Rupal made the final, running 3:35.12 behind Poland.
India’s sprinters also impressed in the shorter relays: the men’s 4×100m team of Lalu Bhoi, Animesh, Manikanta and Mrutyam stormed to second place with a time of 39.21, ensuring a spot in the final. The women’s 4×100m relay team clocked 44.44s to qualify as one of the fastest losers and Thailand made it after South Africa’s disqualification.
In field events, India had mixed fortunes. Karishma reached the women’s javelin final with a last-throw qualification but couldn’t break into the top 8 after a best of 52.93m. Seema brought a late surge in the women’s 5000m final, sprinting brilliantly in the closing stretch to clinch a silver medal with a season-best time of 15:35.86 another medal to celebrate for Indian athletics.
Decathletes Jashbir and Thowfeeq battled across ten events over two days. Finishing ninth overall with a personal best total of 6993 points. Jashbir registered solid performances, including a 57.21m javelin throw and 15.30 in the 110m hurdles, and completed the decathlon with consistent scores.
Earlier in the day, Poorva Sawant and Sandra Babu competed in the women’s triple jump qualifying. Poorva’s best of 12.82m and Sandra’s 11.98m weren’t enough to advance. Kiran Matre finished last in the men’s 5000m race, and Karishma’s campaign in the javelin also ended outside the top eight.
Morning Races, Long Events & Archery Drama
India’s day had begun early with the half marathon, where Mohit ran a respectable 1:04:08 to finish sixth, while Jyoti clocked 1:21:22 for 21st among women. The decathlon continued with the discus, pole vault, and 1500m; Thowfeeq ended with a 4:46.25 run in the 1500m, capping a long day with pride.
Back in archery, the evening brought an emotional rollercoaster. Parneet, aiming to defend India’s record in women’s compound, began the final with perfect ends but dropped points late to settle for silver. Moments later, Sahil and Ajay clashed in an all-Indian men’s compound gold medal match. Despite missing the team gold earlier in the week, Sahil’s composure under pressure was striking. His 149–148 win crowned him champion and gave India its first men’s compound individual title at these Games.
By day’s end, India’s haul stood at Sahil’s gold, Praveen’s silver, and Parneet’s silver plus Seema’s silver in the 5000m alongside multiple relay qualifications and top-eight finishes.
A Day of Resilience & Rising Hopes
From heartbreak in team archery to redemption in individual events, and from near misses in field events to relay breakthroughs, India’s day was about fighting spirit and depth. The country will look ahead to relay finals, more athletics finals, and the hope of further podium finishes at the World University Games 2025.
Indian athletes proved yet again: even when medals slip away, the fight never stops and sometimes, redemption comes quicker than anyone expects.
