Archery World Cup 2026 Madrid: Women's Compound Team Settles for Silver; Prithika Pradeep Claims Individual Bronze
The Indian archery contingent concluded its campaign at the Archery World Cup 2026 Stage 4 in Madrid, Spain, with a total haul of two medals—one silver and one bronze. Both podium finishes came from the compound discipline on Saturday, whereas the recurve archers narrowly missed out on bronze finishes on Sunday to end their campaign empty-handed.
Women's Compound Team Secures Silver
The trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, and Chikitha Taniparthi secured India's first medal of the tournament in the women's compound team event. Reaching the gold medal match after a competitive progression, the Indian team faced a dominant Colombian lineup consisting of Sara Lopez, Alejandra Usquiano, and Mariana Rodriguez.
The Indian combination struggled for consistency at crucial intervals, ultimately falling 228-232 to Colombia. Seventeen-year-old Prithika Pradeep stood out for India, executing six perfect 10s including two flawless ends. However, seasoned archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam encountered minor form issues, finding only three 10s out of her eight arrows. Colombia maintained control throughout the match, anchored by Alejandra Usquiano’s eight consecutive 10s. India had a technical chance to draw in the final frame with three perfect arrows, but Chikitha Taniparthi’s final shot landed in the eight-ring, cementing Colombia’s gold.
Individual Bronze for Debutant Prithika Pradeep
Following the team event, teenage archer Prithika Pradeep capped off a remarkable senior international debut by claiming the bronze medal in the women’s individual compound event.
After losing a close semifinal battle, the 17-year-old staged a clinical turnaround in the bronze medal playoff. Prithika held her nerve to defeat world No. 11 Hazal Burun of Turkiye with a score of 145-142 to claim her maiden individual World Cup medal.
Recurve Archers Endure Narrow Bronze Playoff Defeats
The recurve section presented a tougher outcome for India on Sunday, as the contingent fell short in both the individual and mixed team bronze medal matches.
In the recurve mixed team bronze playoff, the new pairing of Dhiraj Bommadevara and debutant Kirti Sharma faced Italy's Roberta Di Francesco and Matteo Borsani. The Indian duo opened strongly, holding a steady 3-1 lead after dropping just two points in the second set (38-37). However, the Italians mounted a comeback in the third set, capitalising on an 8 and a 9 from India to level the score at 3-3. In the decisive fourth set, the Italian pair shot a flawless 40 out of 40, while India managed a 37, ending the match 3-5 in favour of Italy.
In the individual section, 19-year-old Kirti Sharma reached the women’s recurve semifinals in her second World Cup appearance. She lost a gruelling five-set semifinal match 3-7 to Turkey’s Elif Gokkir (28-28, 26-28, 26-28, 29-28, 27-28). Moving into the bronze medal playoff against South Korea's reigning Olympic champion Oh Yejin, Kirti was outclassed 1-7 (27-29, 28-30, 29-29, 28-30), drawing curtains on India's recurve campaign.
Archery World Cup Stage 4: Indian Results Summary
| Discipline / Event | Athletes | Final Ranking / Position | Medal Status | Final Match Score / Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Compound Team | Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep, Chikitha Taniparthi | 2nd Place | Silver | 228 - 232 vs Colombia |
| Women's Individual Compound | Prithika Pradeep | 3rd Place | Bronze | 145 - 142 vs Hazal Burun (TUR) |
| Recurve Mixed Team | Dhiraj Bommadevara, Kirti Sharma | 4th Place | None | 3 - 5 vs Italy |
| Women's Individual Recurve | Kirti Sharma | 4th Place | None | 1 - 7 vs Oh Yejin (KOR) |