Historic Gold for Indian Recurve Archery Team
Indian archery has achieved a momentous triumph on the continental stage, with the men’s recurve team clinching a historic gold medal at the Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This victory breaks an 18-year-long drought in the event and powerfully signals India’s ascent in the Olympic discipline.
The team, composed of the seasoned Olympian Atanu Das, along with Rahul and Yashdeep Bhoge, delivered a nerve-shredding performance to defeat the perennial favorites and mighty rivals, South Korea, in the final. This was the first time since 2007 that India has secured the top prize in the men’s recurve team category at the Asian Championships.
The gold medal match was a thriller, showcasing the mental resilience and exceptional skill of the Indian trio. After four tense sets, the score was locked at 4-4, pushing the final into a decisive shoot-off. Both teams displayed near-perfect accuracy in the tie-breaker, scoring an equal 29 points.
The ultimate victory hinged on the finest of margins: the distance of the final arrow from the center. It was Atanu Das, the senior member of the squad, who shot the defining arrow, a perfect 10 that landed marginally closer to the center than the Korean shot, thus sealing the 5-4 win and the historic gold for India.
This win holds deep significance, as South Korea has dominated the men’s recurve team event for years. Defeating them, even a second-string Korean team, validates the focused training and technical improvements the Indian archers have undergone. The victory provides a massive confidence boost as the team prepares for the next phase of the Olympic cycle.
The celebrations were compounded by a phenomenal run across all categories, making it a stellar championship for India. Earlier in the day, Dhiraj Bommadevara clinched the men’s individual recurve gold, defeating his compatriot Rahul in an all-Indian final. Additionally, Ankita Bhakat stunned the Paris Olympics silver medalist Nam Su-hyeon of Korea to win the women’s individual recurve gold.
India concluded its campaign with an impressive tally, topping the medal table with six gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. This performance, especially the recurve gold rush led by the men’s team, confirms that Indian archers are no longer just competitors but serious contenders capable of breaking the stronghold of Asian giants like South Korea.
The focus now shifts to maintaining this momentum and translating this continental success into a strong performance at upcoming global events, especially the Asian Games, where the team will aim to cement its status as a world-class archery nation.
