Archery World Cup: Dhiraj and Kirti Reach Bronze Match, USA Ends Team Campaign

Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kirti Sharma kept India’s medal hopes alive by advancing to the bronze-medal playoff in the recurve mixed team event, even as the country’s men’s and women’s recurve teams suffered quarterfinal defeats to the United States at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 on Thursday.

Competing together for the first time, the Indian duo produced an impressive run to the semifinals. They defeated the Netherlands 6-2 and then overcame Japan 5-3 before falling narrowly to China 3-5 in a closely fought semifinal. They will now take on Italy in the bronze-medal match.

The day, however, proved disappointing for India in the team recurve competitions. The second-seeded men’s team of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge struggled to find rhythm against the seventh-seeded USA and lost 0-6. Led by multiple Olympic medallist Brady Ellison , the Americans shot with remarkable consistency to secure a comfortable victory.

India’s women’s team, comprising Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod , put up a stronger challenge before going down 2-6. After tying the opening and third sets, the Indians were undone by an error-filled final set that handed the Americans a place in the semifinals.

There was disappointment in the individual recurve section as Deepika Kumari exited in the second round. The four-time Olympian, seeded 16th, lost a tense shoot-off to Poland’s Karina Kozlowska , with the contest ending 5-6 after a 9-10 tie-break. Yashdeep Bhoge was also eliminated in the opening round.

Despite the setbacks, India remains strongly placed in the individual events. Antalya World Cup champion Dhiraj Bommadevara , seeded second, will begin his campaign from the round of 32 alongside Neeraj Chauhan and veteran Atanu Das .

In the women’s draw, Kirti Sharma emerged as the highest-ranked Indian qualifier and earned the fourth seed. She will be joined in the round of 32 by Kumkum Mohod and Ankita Bhakat .

India has already assured itself a medal in the compound category, with the women’s compound team reaching the final. However, the compound mixed pair of Prithika Pradeep and Sahil Jadhav narrowly missed out after losing to Mexico in a shoot-off, 153-153 (19-20) .

With the individual competitions still to come and a bronze-medal contest awaiting Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kirti Sharma , India’s campaign in Madrid is far from over.