Archery World Cup Stage 2: Deepika Kumari, Parth Salunkhe Clinch Bronze as India Bags 7 Medals in Shanghai

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Archery World Cup Stage 2: Under the swirling spring breeze of Shanghai, India's archery stars Deepika Kumari and Parth Salunkhe carved their names into the spotlight once again, each bringing home a bronze medal in the recurve individual events on the final day of the Archery World Cup Stage 2.

While India wrapped up the competition with a commendable medal tally - two gold, one silver and four bronze - it was the veteran grit of Deepika and the youthful composure of Parth that lit up the final day in the recurve discipline.

For Deepika, already a stalwart of Indian archery, this bronze marked her 12th individual and 31st overall medal at an Archery World Cup Stage - a testament to her enduring excellence and fighting spirit. The 30-year-old, a four-time Olympian and two-time World Championships silver medallist, had to dig deep after a tough semi-final loss to Korea's reigning Olympic champion, Lim Sihyeon.

That match saw Deepika edged out 1-7 in a series of closely contested ends (26-27, 28-28, 28-30, 28-29). But she didn't leave the stage quietly. Instead, she regrouped and returned with fire in her eyes to face former world champion Kang Chae-young in the bronze medal match.

What followed was a tense and thrilling five-set battle, with Deepika pulling off a 7-3 victory (27-27, 28-27, 27-30, 30-29, 29-28). She delivered a near-clinical 30 in the fourth set that swung momentum in her favour and sealed the match with a final 29-point flourish.

Speaking after the match, Deepika said, "I knew I had to be calm and focused. After the semi-final, I just told myself to enjoy the moment and give it everything. It feels amazing to win against such top-level competition."

In the men's field, 21-year-old Parth Salunkhe showcased poise far beyond his years as he earned his first-ever World Cup medal. Parth faced a towering challenge in the semi-finals against Korea's Kim Woojin, the reigning Olympic champion. The young Indian archer went toe-to-toe with the Korean legend, narrowly falling 4-6 (26-27, 28-30, 28-27, 29-28, 25-28).

But like Deepika, Parth bounced back with determination and focus in the bronze medal showdown. In a tightly contested clash against France's Baptiste Addis, Parth held his nerve to clinch the medal 6-4 (30-28, 28-28, 25-25, 27-30, 29-28).

"It's an incredible feeling," said a beaming Parth. "To win my first medal on the World Cup stage, and that too in such a competitive field, gives me a lot of confidence. I'm proud to have represented India and to finish on the podium."

Their success marked a high point in India's campaign in Shanghai, especially as only two of the country's seven medals came in recurve, an Olympic discipline where competition is always fierce and often dominated by the Korean powerhouse.

Elsewhere, India enjoyed a strong showing in the compound events. Madhura Dhamangaonkar clinched her maiden individual gold in the women's compound category, asserting herself as a rising star. The men's compound team - Abhishek Verma, Rishabh Yadav and Ojas Deotale - stormed their way to gold in the team event.

The compound women's team, composed of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Madhura, added a silver to the tally, while the mixed compound pair of Madhura and Abhishek secured bronze. Rishabh Yadav rounded off the compound dominance with a bronze in the men's individual event.

India's compound archers continue to blaze a trail in anticipation of the discipline's Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. But for now, it was Deepika and Parth's podium finishes that resonated deeply with archery fans across the country, given the recurve discipline's historic and Olympic stature.

The Archery World Cup now moves to Antalya, Turkey, for Stage 3 from June 3-8, where Indian archers will look to build on this strong performance. With Olympic qualifications looming and Paris 2024 on the horizon, the stakes are only getting higher. But in Shanghai, it was a day of bronze - gleaming with the grit of a legend and the promise of a rising star.