Ojas, Jyothi stun mighty Koreans, bag successive World Cup gold
Shanghai (PTI): Continuing its dream run, India's compound mixed team duo of Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam on Saturday stunned heavyweights Korea to grab successive World Cup gold medals here.
After winning the World Cup Stage 1 gold in Antalya last month, the pair carried forward its new-found chemistry and shot with composure to pip the top-seeded Korean team 156-155.
Both the Indian duo and the seasoned Korean pair of Kim Jongho and Oh Yoohyun shot identical 39s out of 40 in each of the first three ends.
In the final end the Koreans cracked under pressure as Deotale and Jyothi came up with a 39 again to seal their back-to-back World Cup gold medals.
Having made an early exit in the individual section, Jyothi had a perfect start to the final, even as her 20-year-old partner struggled for a perfect 10.
Ojas, however, complemented well and brought out his best when Jyothi missed the 10 a couple of times, as the duo showed perfect chemistry at the highest level.
Locked 117-117 heading into the final end, Jyothi shot a 10 with her final arrow, while a measurement was needed on Oh Yoohyun's final arrow to confirm the Indians' victory.
"Throughout the World Cup, our co-ordination and shooting process were very good. And in the final too, we focused on our shooting process," Jyothi said.
Jyothi has now made a strong start to the 2023 World Cup season with three gold medals including one in the individual section at Antalya leg.
The Vijayawada archer is now dreaming big with the World Archery Championships in Berlin a couple of months away.
"World Championships are the most important event for us. And winning the gold medals is a big boost to our confidence. We look to continue the momentum," she added.
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Progress made in talks over Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release, officials say
Cairo, Jan 13: US and Arab mediators made significant progress overnight toward brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and the release of scores of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, but a deal hasn't been reached yet, officials said Monday.
Four officials acknowledged that progress has been made and said the coming days would be critical for ending more than 15 months of fighting that has destabilised the Middle East. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to discuss the talks.
A US official briefed on the negotiations said all sides are "closer than we've ever been, but it could still fall apart." The official declined to predict the timing of a potential agreement because he said it is just too uncertain, with multiple moving parts still in play.
Two other officials, including one associated with Hamas, said that there were still a number of hurdles to clear. On several occasions over the past year, US leaders have said that they were on the verge of reaching a deal, only to have the talks stall.
Another person familiar with the talks said there had been a breakthrough overnight and that there was a proposed deal on the table. Israeli and Hamas negotiators will now take it back to their leaders for final approval, the person said.
The person said that mediators from the Gulf country of Qatar had put renewed pressure on Hamas to accept the agreement, while US President-elect Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, was pressing the Israelis. Witkoff recently joined the negotiations and has been in the region in recent days.
The person said that the mediators had handed off the draft deal to each side and that the next 24 hours would be pivotal.
An Egyptian official said that there had been good progress overnight, but that it would likely take a few more days, and that the sides were aiming for a deal before Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. A third official said that the talks were in a good place, but hadn't been wrapped up. That official also assessed that a deal was possible before the inauguration.
Asked about the talks at a press conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said “progress has been made, and I hope that within a short time we will see things happening. But it is still to be proved."
A Hamas official said a number of contentious issues still need to be resolved, including an Israeli commitment to ending the war and details about the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the hostage-prisoner exchange. The official wasn't authorized to brief media and spoke anonymously.
The Egyptian official confirmed that those issues were still being discussed.
