Madhura Dhamangaonkar achieved a significant milestone by winning her first individual gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai. Her victory contributed to India's impressive medal haul, showcasing the country's growing prowess in compound archery.
In a thrilling final against USA's Carson Krahe, Madhura secured the win by a narrow margin. After trailing by four points following the third round, she demonstrated resilience and skill to level the score in the fourth end with near-perfect shooting. With two perfect X scores and a 9 in the final round, Madhura clinched the gold, marking a triumphant return to international archery after a three-year break.
Madhura's success was part of a larger Indian effort at the Archery World Cup Stage 2. The men's compound team, consisting of Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale, and Rishabh Yadav, also secured a gold medal, defeating Mexico 232-228. The women's compound team, which included Madhura Dhamangaonkar, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Chikitha Taniparthi, won a silver medal after losing to Mexico. Additionally, Madhura and Abhishek Verma teamed up to win a bronze medal in the compound mixed team event, defeating Malaysia.
The Indian archery squad for the Shanghai event comprised sixteen members, including both recurve and compound archers. Key members of the team included Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Deepika Kumari, who led the women's challenge in the compound and recurve categories, respectively. Other notable archers in the squad were Olympians Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Atanu Das.
While the compound teams excelled, the recurve teams faced challenges. The men's recurve team finished fourth after losing the bronze medal match to the USA, and the women's recurve team exited in the pre-quarterfinals.
India's consistent performance in compound archery has raised hopes for an Olympic medal, especially with the discipline set to debut in the mixed team format at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Archery World Cup consists of four stages, with the top archers qualifying for the final.
