It was not only a world record for Yadav but also his best-ever 72-arrow qualifying score in a World Cup – impressive considering the late start (16h30 local) and searing heat in Madrid.
“The rhythm kicks in and you just keep going until the last 10 hits,” said the 2023 Asian Championships mixed team silver medallist. “People around you are saying, ‘You need to do it like this, stay calm,’ and I’m like, ‘OK, I know what I’m doing.’”
“I shot it [716] earlier in the nationals, and now again here – so I’m happy I’m able to keep it consistent. It was well throughout, and it was interesting and playful.”
A World Cup pole, a personal best and a world record – not a bad day’s work for the 22-year-old, who is only in his second season on the international circuit and has already qualified for the Indian team heading to the Hyundai World Archery Championships in Gwangju later this year.
His world-record teammate Jyothi, the reigning Asian Games Champion, is also Korea-bound. She matched Yadav’s effort by posting a personal best of 715 in compound women’s qualifying – securing the number one seed.
“I’ve been shooting good this year, but somewhere I just felt there was something left behind,” said Jyothi, who hadn’t poled in the prior three stages this year. “But today, since the morning practice, I’ve felt really good with the way I was shooting, and I just wanted to shoot the same way in the qualification.”
Competition continues in Madrid on Wednesday with compound team eliminations in the morning and recurve qualifying in the afternoon.
