WUG 2025: Vaishnavi Adkar became the first Indian woman tennis player to win a medal at the World University Games, winning a bronze in the singles competition. The archers continued their impressive performance on Thursday, with the compound men’s and mixed teams making it to the gold medal rounds.
As the WUG neared its conclusion, other track and field competitors also advanced to the finals.
Vaishnavi settled for bronze, Slovakia’s second medal in this year’s WUG, after losing to Eszter Meri of Slovakia 6-2 4-6 4-6 in her quarterfinal match. The two losing semifinalists in a tennis tournament each receive a bronze.
Nandal Bal won silver in the men’s singles at the 1979 World University Games in Mexico City, making 20-year-old Vaishnavi the only other Indian to win a medal.
India is guaranteed at least two silver medals in archery. Kushal Dalal, a compound archer, advanced to the finals of both the mixed team and men’s teams.
In order to secure their place in the gold medal match versus Korea, Dalal and Parneet Kaur’s compound mixed team defeated their Chinese Taipei adversaries 158-151.
Later, in a fiercely contested semifinal match, the compound men’s team consisting of Dalal, Sahil Jadhav, and Hritik Sharma defeated their Chinese Taipei rivals 235-233.
The USA defeated Parneet Kaur, Avneet Kaur, and Madhura Dhamangaonkar’s women’s compound team 230-233 in the semifinals, though. On Friday, they will compete against Great Britain for the bronze medal.
The mixed 4x400m mixed relay team advanced to the finals in track and field, along with Seema (women’s 5000m), Kiran Matre (men’s 5000m), and Sahil Silwal (men’s javelin throw).
Sahil placed 10th overall with a throw of 71.60 meters, while the mixed 4×400-meter relay team finished second overall with a heat time of 3 minutes 19.21 seconds.
Meanwhile, Moumita Mondal, who finished in 13.37 seconds in her heat race, went to the 100-meter hurdles semifinals. Even though she placed 19th overall, she advanced to the next round.
This version of the Games has seen a lackluster performance from India, with only three competition days remaining.
India had put on its greatest show at the previous Games, taking home 26 medals, including 11 gold, 5 silver, and 10 bronze, and placing seventh overall. Eight of the shooters’ fourteen medals were gold.
