Archery World Cup Stage 3: Dhiraj Bommadevara Claims Another Bronze after Mixed Team Medal with Bhajan Kaur

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India's impressive performance in the Archery World Cup stage 3 in Antalya, Turkiye, continues as Bhajan Kaur and Dhiraj Bommadevara clinched a bronze medal in the mixed team recurve event, elevating India's medal count to three.

The duo emerged victorious over Mexico's Alejandra Valencia and Matias Grande with a 5-3 win in the bronze medal match, showcasing their resilience and skill in this Olympic event. Dhiraj then added another bronze in the men's recurve individual.

After losing his men's semifinal match to Korean World and Olympic gold medallist Kim Woojin 6-2 (29-29, 27-30, 29-29, 27-29), Dhiraj defeated Italian Mauro Nespoli 7-3 (28-27, 29-28, 27-28, 28-28, 29-30) in the bronze medal.

The triumphs of Kaur and Bommadevara follows a series of successful outings for Indian archers. The women's compound team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami, secured a gold medal on Saturday.

They edged out Estonia's Lisell Jaatma, Meeri-Marita Paas, and Maris Tetsmann by a close margin of 232-229, solidifying their position as the top-ranked compound archery team globally. Their victory streak continued from previous Archery World Cup stages in Shanghai and Yecheon, South Korea.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) acknowledged this remarkable achievement on X, praising the trio for their consistent performance. Jyothi, Parneet, and Aditi had earlier defeated Turkey 234-227 in the semi-final, further demonstrating their dominance in the sport.

In addition to these victories, Indian archer Priyansh added to the medal tally with a silver in the men's individual compound event. He narrowly lost to the world-ranked number one and former world champion, Mike Schloesser from the Netherlands, in a tight 149-148 contest.

However, not all results were favorable for India. The men's recurve archery team, consisting of Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara, and Pravin Jadhav, failed to secure a Paris 2024 Olympics quota, falling to Mexico in the quarter-finals of the Final World Quota Tournament. Similarly, the women's recurve team, featuring Deepika Kumari, Bhajan Kaur, and Ankita Bhakat, was defeated by Ukraine in the Round of 16.

The ongoing stage three of the World Cup in Antalya, from June 18 to 23, marks the final event for recurve archers before the Olympic qualification period ends. With 12 Indian archers participating, this stage is critical for their preparations and qualification prospects.

India's archery prowess has been evident throughout the World Cup stages, with an impressive medal haul in Shanghai and Yecheon, and the Antalya event further cements their standing on the global stage.

As the final World Cup stage before the World Cup final in Mexico in October, the performances in Antalya are crucial for Indian archers aiming for Olympic glory in Paris 2024.