How India recreated Asian Games venue in Sonipat before winning three archery golds

India's compound archers won three Asian Games gold medals in the space of around two hours on Wednesday.

But perhaps the most interesting part of the story happened before they even reached Japan.

Back home in Sonipat, India's coaches had effectively built their own version of the Asian Games venue.

The idea was simple. When the archers eventually walked into the real competition arena in Okazaki, they wanted almost nothing to feel new.

At the Sports Authority of India centre in Sonipat, coaches recreated several details they expected to see at the Asian Games. The same type of screens and music system were installed. Similar targets were used, while the podium, flags and even the colour scheme were recreated.

The compound archers spent around 15 days training in the complete simulated environment before travelling to Japan.

It did not stop there.

Other archers and trainees were brought in to compete against the national team and create distractions. The Indians were also put through pressure situations repeatedly, essentially trying to make training feel as close to a major final as possible.

National coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja explained that the objective was to make sure the players felt they had already experienced whatever they encountered in Japan.

The preparation appears to have paid off spectacularly.

India swept all three compound team gold medals available on Wednesday.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep started the gold rush in the women's team competition.

Then Chikitha joined Sahil Jadhav to win the mixed team title after a dramatic shootout against South Korea.

That victory carried extra significance because it also secured India's first quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Compound mixed team archery will make its Olympic debut at those Games.

There was still more to come.

Sahil returned alongside Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru for the men's team final against China.

India were trailing at the halfway stage and remained behind heading into the final end. But the Indian trio produced a brilliant finish to win 238 to 237 and complete a clean sweep of the compound team events.

For someone who does not follow archery regularly, compound archery is all about tiny margins. At this level, repeatedly hitting the centre of the target is expected, meaning one poor arrow can completely change a final.

That makes handling pressure almost as important as technique.

India could not recreate an Asian Games final in Sonipat.

But they could recreate the screens, targets, flags, music, colours, opponents and distractions.

So when their archers finally arrived in Japan with Asian Games gold medals on the line, they had already experienced something remarkably similar.

Three gold medals in around two hours later, that unusual preparation suddenly made a lot of sense.