Deepika Kumari, a prominent figure in Indian archery, added another impressive milestone to her career at the World Cup Final, securing her fifth silver medal despite a challenging match. Facing China’s Li Jiaman, Kumari was unable to secure a win, losing 0–6 in the top match. This event was particularly significant as it marked her return to top-level international competition three years after the birth of her child in December 2022.
As a four-time Olympian, Kumari started strong, ranking third among eight archers and smoothly advanced through the semifinals. However, the final against Li, a fourth-seeded Olympic silver medalist from the team event in Paris, proved demanding, possibly influencing her performance under the heightened pressure for gold.
This World Cup Final was Kumari’s ninth appearance, complementing her already decorated career which includes a bronze medal from previous championships. The historical context of her achievements reflects the stature of Dola Banerjee, the only Indian archer to clinch a gold medal at the World Cup Final, a feat she accomplished in Dubai in 2007.
In the men’s recurve competition at the same event, another narrative unfolded with Dhiraj Bommadevara representing India. He initially led 4-2 in the first round but faced an overwhelming challenge from South Korea’s Lee Woo Seok, a bronze medalist from the Paris Olympics. Lee’s formidable skills compelled Bommadevara to withdraw early from the competition.
This episode is a reminder of the persistent pressures that Indian archers face in high-stakes international contests, a recurring theme that has seen varying degrees of success and challenges across different championships. The experiences of Kumari and Bommadevara underscore the resilience and ongoing struggles of Indian archers on the world stage, highlighting both individual perseverance and the broader dynamics of international competitive archery.
The Indian archery team, comprising five members—three competing in compound events and two in recurve—concluded their World Cup Final campaign with a single medal to their credit. The event was marked by notable performances and intense matches.
Deepika Kumari, a standout recurve archer, faced a tough competition. Her campaign began strongly as she defeated Yang Xiaolei of China with a decisive 6-0 victory, displaying impressive scores of 27-23, 29-22, and 29-27.
Her semifinal match was against Mexico’s Alejandra Valencia, a rematch providing Deepika a chance at redemption following a previous loss to Valencia at the Yecheon World Cup, where she had won a bronze medal. In a closely contested series, Deepika emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, the rounds being 29-28, 26-26, 26-29, 28-28, and 28-27.
Despite her strong performance in earlier rounds, Deepika faced a challenging final against China’s Li Jiaman. Li took an early lead with a perfect score of thirty, including an X-ring shot, in the first set and maintained her lead throughout the match. Deepika struggled in the third set when her second arrow landed in the red 7-ring, allowing Li to secure three consecutive 9s and win the set 27–25, clinching the gold medal in her debut at the World Cup Final.
On the men’s side, the only Indian qualifier in recurve, Dhiraj, entered the competition ranked third. His performance, however, details of how far he progressed in the competition were not mentioned.
This World Cup Final highlighted the highs and lows of competitive archery, showcasing both the triumphs and challenges faced by the Indian team on the international stage.
Dhiraj, representing India in the men’s recurve archery at the World Cup Final, showcased strong early performance against the highly ranked South Korean archer Lee Woo Seok. He secured a win in the first set and managed a draw in the second.
The contest intensified in the third set where Dhiraj narrowly missed clinching the match by just one point, allowing the South Koreans to equalize. Despite a valiant effort in the subsequent fourth and fifth sets, Dhiraj was ultimately defeated with a close score of 4-6, detailed by set scores of 28-28, 29-26, 28-28, 26-30, and 28-29.
Meanwhile, the Indian contingent in the compound archery category concluded their campaign without securing any medals. Prathamesh Fuge came close, reaching the semifinals but ended up in fourth place following a tight match. His compatriots, Priyansh and Jyothi Surekha Vennam, participated with determination but were unable to progress to the medal rounds, concluding their efforts earlier in the tournament. This event underscored the competitive challenges and narrow margins that often define the outcomes in international archery competitions.