According to information received here, the unheralded Indian duo had a slender 112-111 lead against the Italian world champions Sergio Pagni and Marcella Toniolli at the end of third set.
But the inexperienced Indians faltered by a couple of millimetres in the final arrow to go down 149-150 in a thrilling contest.
India have never won a gold medal in the compound section and their previous best in this format was in the Ogden World Cup 2011 (Stage III) when the women's team of Manjudha, Gagandeep Kaur and Jhano Hansdah had won a silver.
Having just won a team bronze this morning, Pagni quickly adapted to the windy condition along with his partner as the Italian opened up a three-point lead (39-36) in the first end.
However Tonioli was caught by the wind in the second end with a 6 but Italy still held their lead (74-73) at the midway stage.
India's score of 39 in the third end put them in the driving seat as they snatched the lead (112-111).
The duo crumbled under pressure with a 10-9, the last arrow being just a couple of millimetres out to miss out on what could have been a historic gold for India.
Earlier, the fancied Indian recurve archers had crashed out before the quarters as India concluded their campaign with the silver lining from the compound archers.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
