India’s archery contingent delivered a memorable performance at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai, bringing home a rich haul of medals and making the tricolour fly high on the international stage. The highlight of the campaign was the men’s compound team clinching gold, while Madhura Dhamangaonkar emerged as the star of the show with her maiden individual World Cup gold and two more medals to her name.
Indian Teams Shine in Compound Events
In the men’s compound team event, the Indian trio of Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale, and Rishabh Yadav displayed nerves of steel and precision under pressure. They faced a strong Mexican team in the final and emerged victorious with a scoreline of 232-228. The Indians maintained steady form through all four ends, with their consistent shooting ensuring a well-deserved gold medal. Earlier, the team had overcome Denmark in a close semi-final and defeated Great Britain in the quarter-final, underlining their dominance in the compound discipline.
The women’s compound team, featuring Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, and Chikitha Taniparthi, put up a spirited fight throughout the tournament. They advanced to the final after impressive wins over Kazakhstan and Great Britain. However, the final saw them up against a formidable Mexican side, and despite their best efforts, the Indian women settled for silver after a 221-234 loss. The margin may have been wide, but the Indian team’s journey to the final was marked by resilience and teamwork.
Madhura Dhamangaonkar’s Golden Comeback
Madhura Dhamangaonkar’s individual journey was nothing short of a fairytale. Returning to international competition after a break of over three years, she showed remarkable composure and skill. In the women’s compound individual final, Madhura edged out USA’s Carson Krahe by a slender 139-138 margin. After taking an early lead, she held her nerve despite a late challenge from her opponent, sealing her first-ever World Cup gold. Madhura had earlier defeated Turkey’s Hazal Burun and India’s top-ranked archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam in the knockout rounds, proving her mettle against some of the world’s best.
The medal rush did not stop there. In the mixed team event, Madhura paired up with Abhishek Verma to clinch bronze, overcoming Malaysia in a tight third-place playoff. This was yet another testament to the depth and versatility of India’s compound archery squad.
Rishabh Yadav, part of the gold-winning men’s team, also made headlines by securing his maiden individual World Cup medal. He won bronze in the men’s individual compound event after a dramatic shoot-off against South Korea’s Kim Jongho, further adding to India’s medal tally and showcasing the country’s emerging talent in the sport.
India’s overall performance at the Archery World Cup Stage 2-two golds, one silver, and two bronze medals-signals a bright future for compound archery in the country. With the discipline set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games in the mixed team format, these results offer genuine hope that India could soon break its Olympic archery medal drought.
The Shanghai campaign not only brought medals but also demonstrated India’s growing depth, consistency, and hunger for success on the world stage. With archers like Madhura Dhamangaonkar making stunning comebacks and young talents like Rishabh Yadav rising through the ranks, Indian archery is poised for even greater achievements in the years to come.
