Kumkum-Dhiraj Make Mixed Team Final, Assures India First Medal In Archery World Cup Stage 3

Amravati: On a day of fluctuating fortunes for Indian archers in the World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya, the Amravati-Vijayawada express of Kumkum Mohod and Olympian Dhiraj Bommadevara made it to the mixed team final in the recurve event on Thursday.

The 17-year-old from Amravati, who helped India win recurve team gold in Shanghai last month, played a lead role as the duo of Kumkum and Dhiraj blanked Denmark 6-0 in the second round. They then beat the US 6-2 in the quarterfinal and Germany by the same margin in the semifinals to set up the title clash with Korea on June 14, assuring India of its first medal in Antalya.

The mixed team run came as a turnaround after a disappointing day for India’s recurve teams. The women’s trio of Kumkum, Kirti Sharma and Ankita Bhakat faltered 1-5 against hosts Turkiye in the quarterfinals, after starting their campaign with a 6-0 victory over the Netherlands.

The men’s team of Dhiraj, Yashdeep Bhoge and Neeraj Chauhan bowed out early, losing a tight 4-5 shoot-off to the US in the pre-quarterfinals.

India’s individual challenge, however, stays strong with six archers still in the draw.

In men’s individual, Dhiraj is pre-seeded into the quarterfinals. Neeraj joined him with a 6-2 win over Bangladesh’s Alif Abdur Rahman. On Friday, Dhiraj faces Germany’s Leon Zemella while Chauhan takes on Italy’s Francesco Gregori.

Yashdeep and Atanu Das exited in the second round. Bhoge beat the Netherlands’ Senna Roos 6-4 before losing 1-7 to Belgium’s Jarno De Smedt. Atanu overcame Spain’s Javier Merida Gonzalez 6-4, then fell 2-6 to Turkiye’s Harun Kirmizitas.

All four Indian women remain alive in individual recurve. Kumkum and Deepika are pre-seeded into the pre-quarterfinals. Ankita beat the Netherlands’ Quinty Roeffen 6-4 to face Germany’s Katharina Bauer. Debutant Kirti Sharma posted 7-3 and 6-0 wins over Ilaria Latsa and Huang Yuwei. Kumkum faces Turkiye’s Dunya Yenihayat, while Deepika meets Chinese Taipei’s Li Tsai-Chi.

In compound mixed team, the Indian pair of Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Sahil Jadhav beat Italy 157-156 but lost 154-156 to the US in the quarterfinals.