India secured one of their biggest triumphs in archery as the men's recurve team of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav stunned reigning Olympic champions South Korea to win the gold medal at the ongoing World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai on Sunday.
India's Asian Games campaign looked bleak in Nagoya. A slow medal start saw the country slip to around 12th, before a late surge took India back to fourth with 85 medals.
India settle for silver in men's recurve team event at Archery World Cup Stage 1
Indian Army athletes achieved their best-ever medal haul at the recently concluded Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, securing 20 medals, including six gold, eight silver, and six bronze. This significant contribution accounted for nearly one-fourth of India's total 85 medals. Standout performers included Naib Subedar Neeru Dhanda in trap shooting and Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh in distance running, who also set a national record. The Army's increased representation and performance, particularly from women athletes, highlight the robust sporting ecosystem within the Indian Army.
The Indian women's recurve archery team secured a medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2, defeating South Korea in the semi-final. However, the men's team faced a disappointing defeat against Bangladesh.
Young Indian compound archer Chikitha Taniparthi clinched two gold medals at her Asian Games debut, fulfilling her father's long-held dream for her to pursue sports. Her journey involved significant financial sacrifices from her family and dedicated training, overcoming initial interest in karate to become a world youth champion and now a double Asian Games gold medallist.
India achieved significant milestones at the Asian Games, securing its first-ever women's trap gold through Neeru Dhanda and another gold in the women's 4x400m relay. These victories pushed India's medal tally past 50, placing the country in the top 10. The day also saw strong performances in boxing, volleyball, archery, squash, and tennis, contributing to a successful outing despite some disappointments in other events.
India finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, a significant dip from the previous edition's record haul. While traditional strongholds like shooting and athletics underperformed, breakthroughs in archery, wrestling, golf, boxing, hockey, and cricket showcased a broadening sporting base. The performance serves as a reality check on sustaining progress towards top global rankings and highlights areas for improvement in mental conditioning and preparation.
American coach Dave Cousins, who led India's compound archers to a historic Olympic quota at the Asian Games, faced a significant delay in receiving his salary for over three months. The Archery Association of India and Sports Authority of India have acknowledged the issue, attributing it to a technical problem, and assured that the payment will be cleared within days, resolving the coach's threat to quit.
India overcame early setbacks in shooting and athletics to achieve a strong fourth-place finish at the Asian Games, matching its previous edition's ranking. A late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, alongside historic wins in golf and cricket, contributed significantly to the medal tally, despite a lower overall medal count compared to the 2022 edition.
Chhattisgarh women's football team won gold at the Khelo India Tribal Games, defeating Jharkhand 1-0. Other highlights include Jharkhand's Shiv Kumar Soren's double in athletics and Karnataka leading the medal tally.
Indian archers delivered a strong performance at the Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage 1, securing gold in the mixed team compound event and silver in the women's team compound event, along with a clean sweep in the men's individual compound category.
The Indian women's compound archery team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, and Chikitha Taniparthi, secured a silver medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India's Asian Games medal-winners, including the gold-winning cricket teams, on Thursday. He praised their achievements, highlighting India's growing strength in sports and its ambition to become a credible host for major international events, including a bid for the 2036 Olympics. Modi also emphasised the government's support for athletes and urged medallists to mentor the next generation.
India is hosting its first international para archery event, the third stage of the 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series, in Ahmedabad. The competition features 109 archers from 19 countries and serves as a crucial build-up to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games. World number one Sheetal Devi, along with other top Indian and international archers, will be competing for titles and world ranking points.
The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) is set to begin in Hyderabad on Thursday, featuring Olympic medallists and recent Asian Games stars. The six-team franchise competition will host leading recurve and compound archers from India and abroad, running from October 8 to 18 with a unique faster shooting format.
Teenaged Indian archer Kumkum Mohod made history at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games by winning India's first-ever women's individual recurve archery gold medal and securing an Olympic quota place. Her coach and association secretary highlight her dedication, academic inclination, and long-term goal of winning an Olympic medal, despite financial challenges.
The compound mixed pair of Jyothi Surekha Vennam and her debutant partner Ojas Deotale cruised into the final to confirm a second medal for India in the Archery World Cup.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on September 27, competing across a wide array of sports including athletics, archery, shooting, boxing, and squash.
Dave Cousins, India's new national compound archery head coach, believes a historic first Olympic medal for India is inevitable. He is preparing the team for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and has long-term plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, noting the changing Asian archery landscape and the impressive work ethic of Indian archers.
Indian compound archers achieved remarkable success at the Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage 1, securing gold in the mixed team event, silver in the women's team event, and a clean sweep in the men's individual category.
India faces a challenging Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a significantly smaller contingent of 168 athletes, down from 303. While aiming to build on its record 111-medal haul from the last Games, selection disputes in para-shooting and para-cycling, coupled with reduced athlete numbers in key disciplines like para-athletics, pose hurdles. Despite these challenges, star athletes across para-athletics, archery, para-badminton, shooting, and table tennis are expected to lead India's medal charge.
The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) is set to commence on October 8 in Hyderabad, featuring a strong lineup of India's top archers, including Olympians Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, alongside 12 international stars like world number one Marcus D'Almeida. The league will showcase 36 Indian archers competing in both recurve and compound categories, with a unique 15-second shot clock designed to enhance competition.
India's compound archers secured a gold medal in the mixed team event and a silver medal in the women's team event at the Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage 1 in Bangkok, increasing their medal count to four.
India's para-athletes concluded their Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 114 medals, including 30 gold, marking their best performance to date. The final day was particularly successful, yielding nine gold medals across various disciplines. Notable achievements included world records set by Mona Agarwal in shooting, and Sandeep and Haney in athletics. Shuttlers Nitesh Kumar and Naveen Sivakumar secured individual golds, while archer Harvinder Singh also contributed to the gold tally. The swimming contingent also exceeded expectations with 11 medals.
Former Commonwealth and Asian Games medallist Deepika Kumari steered Jhakhand to two team gold medals in the recurve archery events but stunningly missed out on an individual podium finish even as the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) continued to stay on course for a hat-trick of overall titles on the eighth day of competitions in the 35th National Games in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
India's women's recurve team secured a spot in the Archery World Cup Stage 2 final after defeating South Korea, while the men's team suffered an early exit against Bangladesh.
The women's recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Gatha Khadake and Ankita Bhakat entered the bronze medal play-offs at the World Archery Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Showing superb control, Lim chose to slow the tempo in the second set but still outscored Gatha, who slipped to two 8s and a 9.
Indian compound men's and women's archery teams faced disappointment at Stage 2 of the Archery World Cup in Shanghai, failing to secure a podium finish. Recurve archers showed signs of recovery, but the compound teams' struggles raise concerns ahead of the Asian Games.
India is set to field a strong contingent at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with key athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain leading the charge to defend titles in cricket, kabaddi, and men's hockey.
But Ojas and Jyothi showed remarkable composure to drill in two Xs en route to shooting 40 in the fourth end to force a shoot-off where the Indians sealed the issue with their arrows landing near the centre.
India's medal surge continued at the Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka on Wednesday, with the compound mixed team of Abhishek Verma and Deepshikha storming into the final, while the recurve archers stayed in medal contention after advancing to the bronze playoff.
Indian archery faces poor planning and the absence of a full-time foreign coach as they prepare for the World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai, raising concerns ahead of the Asian Games.
India's recurve and compound archers showcased their skills at the Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament Stage 1, securing top qualification spots in multiple events despite fielding a relatively inexperienced team.
India's recurve archers once again flattered to deceive at the World Championships as the women's team lost to South Korea in the bronze medal play-off.
Emerging West Bengal archer Juyel Sarkar stunned veteran Tarundeep Rai, a four-time Olympian, to win the recurve gold medal at the 38th National Games.
Teenage quadruple amputee archer Payal Nag defeated world number one Sheetal Devi to win gold at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, leading India to a dominant performance with seven gold medals.
Compound mixed team in bronze play-off, Deepika, Salunkhe in recurve individual semis
India is set to begin the international archery season with a mix of young talent and experienced archers at the Asia Cup Stage 1 in Bangkok, opting to test their squad depth ahead of the Asian Games.
