Shillong: A new generation of Indian archers made history in Antalya this Sunday by defeating South Korea twice in one day to secure two gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage 3. This victory marks a significant shift in the sport, as India overcame a long-standing dominance by the Korean team in the recurve discipline.
Paris Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara led the campaign, first partnering with 17-year-old newcomer Kumkum Mohod to defeat Olympic champions Kim Je-deok and Oh Ye-jin 5-1 in the mixed team final. The Indian duo remained composed throughout the match, sealing the win with high-pressure arrows. Dhiraj later secured his first individual World Cup gold medal by defeating Paris Olympics bronze medallist Lee Woo Seok.
The performance confirms India's recent resurgence in recurve archery, as the nation has now beaten the Koreans in two consecutive World Cup stages. Commenting on the team's fearless approach, observers noted that unlike in the past, "the Indians never looked intimidated and carried their confidence from start to last arrow."
While the recurve squad celebrated a historic weekend, the compound archery team faced a difficult outing. The squad returned without a single medal, marking a rare failure for a group that previously dominated the discipline at the Hangzhou Asian Games. With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games approaching in three months, this performance raises questions about the compound team's current form.
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