World Archery upgrades Jyothi Surekha Vennam's World Cup Final bronze to silver
Mumbai, July 6
Jyothi Surekha Vennam's bronze medal at the 2025 Archery World Cup Final in Nanjing has been upgraded to silver by World Archery, the sport's global governing body, after Mexico's Marina Bernal was disqualified for violating anti-doping regulations.
India's top compound archer, Jyothi, was originally placed third in the final standings of the championship. However, the medal standings were revised after Mexico's Marina Bernal was disqualified for violating anti-doping regulations.
The doping sample collected from Bernal on September 29, 2025, resulted in her disqualification in accordance with World Archery Federation Rule 3, leading to an official revision of the final results.
The 23-year-old Bernal did not challenge the doping offense after testing positive for an anabolic steroid (nandrolone) in an out-of-competition test in September and is banned until after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
According to information received from the Archery Association of India, the decision was confirmed by World Archery on Monday. Great Britain's Ella Gibson has consequently been awarded the bronze medal.
Meanwhile, Jyothi Surekha is currently preparing for the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid, for which she has been included in the national squad.
The Indian contingent is set for the final stage of the Archery World Cup, with a strong mix of experienced campaigners and rising stars across recurve and compound events.
The squad for Madrid:
Recurge men: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan, Atanu Das
Recurve women: Deepika Kumari, Kirti, Kummum Anil Mohod, Ankita Bhakat,
Compound men: Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, Ganesh Thiru Muru, and Rishabh Yadav
Compound women: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Taniparthi Chikitha, Prithika Pradeep, Parneet Kaur.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a bittersweet upgrade. While I'm happy for Jyothi, the real credit goes to her hard work. But the doping violation by Bernal reminds us how crucial it is to maintain integrity in sports. Hope Jyothi continues to shine at the Madrid World Cup stage!
Silver is good, but it's a shame it came this way. Nonetheless, Jyothi's consistency is commendable—she's been India's best compound archer for years. I just hope our recurve teams find their rhythm again; we haven't won a medal in men's recurve in ages. 🏹
Good for Jyothi, but let's be honest: this isn't the same as winning it cleanly on the field. The doping system worked, but it's a reminder that we need more Indian archers winning medals outright without relying on others' mistakes. All the best for Madrid! 👏
Jyothi's resilience is what really stands out here. Despite the controversy, she's focused on Madrid now. The squad selection looks strong with young talent like Sahil and Kushal. Hope our recurve women's team (Deepika, Kirti, Ankita) can step up as well. Go India!
Welcome upgrade! But I'm more concerned about the doping culture in sports globally. Jyothi earned her podium finish fair and square, while Bernal got caught. That's a positive sign for clean athletes. Let's hope our archers stay disciplined and clean.
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