Yashdeep stuns Korean archers, Anshika impresses as India ranks second in recurve team standings
Dhaka, Nov 9 – Indian archer Yashdeep Bhoge produced a sensational performance at the Asian Archery Championships on Sunday, finishing ahead of the dominant Korean contingent in the men’s recurve qualification round. Young archer Anshika Kumari also impressed by securing a top-five finish in the women’s section, helping India climb to second place in the team rankings.
As per agency report, Bhoge and Anshika’s remarkable efforts placed India behind only South Korea, ensuring that the two teams will not face each other in the same half of the draw. The performance comes as a major boost for Indian recurve archery, which has struggled for consistent success in recent years, with the men’s team missing out on medals in the 2023 season and only the women’s team securing a bronze.
Bhoge’s stellar form has reignited India’s hopes of ending the medal drought this week. The 25-year-old, who previously competed internationally at the Chengdu Summer World University Games in July 2023, scored 687 out of 720 points to top the qualification table. His return to form saw him outperform Korea’s Seo Mingyi (681) and Kim Yechan (679), marking a memorable comeback.
Veteran Olympian Atanu Das finished seventh with 668 points, while Rahul secured 11th place. Together with Bhoge, they completed India’s men’s team lineup, finishing just behind South Korea. Dhiraj Bommadevara, who has struggled for form since the Paris Olympics, placed 13th and missed out on the team.
Bhoge’s only previous international medal came at the 2019 Asia Cup in Bangkok, where he won gold in the mixed team event. His recent success has reaffirmed his potential as a key figure for India’s recurve squad.
In the women’s recurve category, 25-year-old Anshika from Bihar emerged as the top Indian performer with 660 points, securing fifth place overall. She finished ahead of Olympian Ankita Bhakat, who placed ninth with 655, and Sangeeta, who was 11th with 649. Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari endured a disappointing outing, finishing 12th with 649 points and missing the team cut. The Korean women continued their dominance by sweeping the top three spots in both individual and team rankings.
Meanwhile, Indian compound archers continued their strong run of form. In the women’s compound qualification, India dominated the field, with all four archers finishing inside the top five. Twenty-year-old Deepshikha led with 705 points, edging Korea’s Park Yerin (704) by a single point. Experienced archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam (703) and 17-year-old Prithika Pradeep (702) finished third and fourth respectively. Though Chikitha Taniparthi scored 701 to claim fifth, she missed the team lineup as only the top three qualified.
The results reinforced India’s growing prowess in compound archery, a discipline set to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028. The Indian women’s compound team earned the top seeding and will face Vietnam in their opening elimination match.
In the men’s compound category, experienced archer Abhishek Verma finished second with 713 points, two short of Korea’s Kim Jongho (715). Teammates Sahil Jadhav (709) and Prathamesh Fuge (707) secured fourth and sixth positions respectively, earning India the second seed in the men’s team event.
The mixed compound pair of Verma and Deepshikha also received the second seeding, while Prathamesh Jawkar, who finished 11th, narrowly missed selection for the team.
