Aditi Swami becomes U18 world champion

Archer Aditi Gopichand Swami secured the biggest win of her career yet on Saturday by being crowned Under-18 women's World champion in Limerick, Ireland.

The 16-year-old outclassed Leann Drake of the United States to become just the fourth Indian - after Palton Hansda (2006), Deepika Kumari (2009, 2011) and Komalika Bari (2019, 2021) - to win an individual medal at the World Archery Youth Championships.

Aditi is the first Indian female compound archer to win a medal in the history of the World Youth Championships.

This was also Aditi's second overall medal at the event. The U-18 compound archer trio of Aishwarya Sharma, Aditi Gopichand Swami and Ekta Rani won gold in the team event earlier.

Aditi broke the Under-18 compound women qualifying record at last month's World Cup. Making her senior debut at the World Cup, Aditi had won a team bronze in Medellin, Colombia last month. Aditi has also won an individual silver medal at the Asia Cup Leg 3 in Sharjah last year.

She carried her dominant run of form into Saturday's final to defeat Leann 142-136. Dominating the contest from the first end, Aditi took a five-point lead at the halfway mark.