Chikitha golden glory for India at World Archery Youth Championships 2025

India’s rising star in female compound archery, Chikitha Taniparthi, has done the country proud by scooping the Individual Junior World title in female compound archery at the World Archery Youth Championships in Winnipeg, Canada being held from August 19 to 26.

Archery Association of India posted on X: “Chikitha Taniparthi clinches Gold in the U-21 Compound Women’s Individual event at the Winnipeg 2025 World Youth Championships — a proud achievement reflecting the strength of India’s young archers.”

With her win, 20-year-old Chikitha Taniparthi becomes the first female compound archer to have won this title. Chikitha’s achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian archery, showcasing the growing prowess of young talent in the compound discipline.

In the final competition for the gold medal, Chikitha displayed remarkable skill and composure to defeat South Korea’s Yerin Park with a score of 142-136.Her precision and mental fortitude were evident as she maintained consistency throughout the match, outshooting her second-seeded opponent. Earlier in the tournament, Chikitha advanced to the final by overcoming Mexico’s Paula Diaz Morillas in the semifinal, securing her place in the championship match and guaranteeing India a medal. World’s top young archers including athletes from archery powerhouses like South Korea and Mexico had gathered to vie for the title.

Chikitha Taniparthi, a rising star from the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Sonepat, has been a consistent performer in the compound archery circuit. Her journey to the world title reflects years of dedication and rigorous training under the guidance of India’s archery coaching system. Prior to her individual triumph, Chikitha contributed to India’s success at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai, where she, alongside Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Madhura Dhamangaonkar, won a silver medal in the women’s compound team event.

Her performance at the 2025 World Youth Championships further highlighted her potential. Chikitha’s ability to handle pressure was evident in her earlier rounds, where she navigated tough competition to reach the final.

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Chikitha’s victory is a historic first for Indian archery, as no Indian female compound archer had previously won an individual junior world title. This achievement builds on India’s growing reputation in compound archery, a discipline where the country has made significant strides in recent years. Notably, Indian compound archers have secured team gold medals at the senior level, with the women’s team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami, and Parneet Kaur winning India’s first-ever World Archery Championships gold in 2023. Chikitha’s individual success adds to this legacy, signaling a bright future for the sport in India.

Her triumph also comes at a time when compound archery is gaining global attention, with the discipline set to make its Olympic debut in the mixed team event at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Chikitha’s performance positions her as a potential contender for future international accolades, including the Olympics, and highlights the depth of talent in India’s junior archery ranks.

Chikitha’s achievement could inspire and motivate young athletes, particularly female archers, to pursue compound archery, a non-Olympic discipline that has historically been overshadowed by recurve archery in India. The success of Chikitha, alongside other young talent like Aditi Swami, who became the youngest senior world champion in 2023 at age 17, underscores the effectiveness of India’s archery development programmes, such as those at NCOE Sonepat and the Tata Archery Academy.

Moreover, her victory adds to India’s impressive medal haul at the 2025 World Youth Championships, where the country secured gold medals in the compound men’s U-21 and U-18 team events. This collective success reflects the growing strength of India’s archery ecosystem, supported by the Archery Association of India and institutions like the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

As the sport looks forward to its Olympic inclusion in 2028, Chikitha’s achievement paves the way for future successes and inspires a new generation of Indian archers to aim for global glory.