Patiala, 14 April (Sports Desk)
India concluded their campaign at the Archery World Cup 2025 Stage 1 in Auburndale, USA, with an impressive haul of four medals, highlighted by Dhiraj Bommadevara’s individual bronze and a silver in the men’s recurve team event. Despite a strong showing, Deepika Kumari narrowly missed the podium in her events.
India’s Medal Tally
India secured one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, finishing fourth in the medal table. Mexico led with six medals (three gold, two silver, one bronze).
Medal Winners
- Gold: Rishabh Yadav, Jyothi Surekha Vennam (Compound Mixed Team)
- Silver: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das (Recurve Men’s Team)
- Bronze: Rishabh Yadav, Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale (Compound Men’s Team)
- Bronze: Dhiraj Bommadevara (Men’s Individual Recurve)
Men’s Recurve Team: Silver Lining
The Indian men’s recurve team, comprising Olympians Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Atanu Das, clinched silver, falling 5-1 to China’s Wang Yan, Li Zhongyuan, and Kao Wenchao in the final. Their journey included:
- Semi-finals: Defeated Spain 6-2
- Quarter-finals: Overcame Indonesia 6-2
- First Round: Beat Brazil 6-2
Chinese Taipei secured the bronze, defeating Spain 5-1.
watch……Punjab Archery Team Shines at Senior National Archery Championship
Dhiraj’s Individual Brilliance
Dhiraj Bommadevara capped the campaign with a dramatic 6-4 bronze-medal win over Spain’s Andres Temino in the men’s individual recurve. Trailing 4-2, Dhiraj rallied in the final two sets to claim victory. His path included:
- Semi-final: Lost 7-1 to Germany’s Florian Unruh (Paris 2024 mixed team silver medallist)
- Quarter-final: Beat Thomas Chirault (Paris 2024 team silver medallist) 6-4
- Earlier Round: Defeated teammate Atanu Das 7-3
Dhiraj, who reached the bronze-medal match in the recurve mixed team at Paris 2024 with Ankita Bhakat, showcased resilience and skill.
Compound Archery Success
India’s compound archers delivered two medals:
- Gold: Rishabh Yadav and Jyothi Surekha Vennam dominated the mixed team event, a discipline set for LA 2028.
- Bronze: Rishabh Yadav, Abhishek Verma, and Ojas Deotale excelled in the men’s team event.
Deepika Kumari’s Near Miss
Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari fell short of a medal. In the women’s individual recurve, she reached the quarter-finals but lost 6-2 to USA’s Casey Kaufhold, a Paris 2024 mixed team bronze medallist. The women’s recurve team (Deepika, Ankita Bhakat, Anshika Kumari) was defeated 6-2 by the USA in the quarter-finals.
Looking Ahead
The Archery World Cup 2025 features four stages, with the top eight archers in each category qualifying for the Final to vie for the overall title. Stage 2 is scheduled for Shanghai, China, from May 6 to 11.
India’s four-medal performance in Auburndale signals a strong start to the season, with Dhiraj Bommadevara emerging as a standout star.
