Archery World Cup 2026 Puebla: India Wins Compound Gold, Recurve Campaign Raises Concerns

India began its Archery World Cup 2026 campaign with a mixed set of results at Stage 1 in Puebla, Mexico (April 7–12) — highlighted by a gold medal in the compound women’s team event, but overshadowed by disappointing performances in recurve categories.

Despite sending a strong contingent, India finished with just one medal, underlining both strength in compound archery and ongoing inconsistency in recurve events.

🥇 Compound Women Deliver India’s Only Medal

The standout performance came from the compound women’s team, where:

Jyothi Surekha Vennam
Madhura Dhamangaonkar
Pragati

clinched the gold medal after a nail-biting 233–232 win over USA in the final.

Road to Gold:

Quarterfinal: def. Denmark (235–234)
Semifinal: def. Türkiye (233–230)
Final: def. USA (233–232)

The trio showcased remarkable consistency under pressure, reaffirming India’s position as a global powerhouse in compound archery.

⚠️ Compound Men Fall Short in Knockouts

India’s compound men’s team — featuring:

Ojas Deotale
Abhishek Verma
Sahil Jadhav

— entered the tournament with high expectations but suffered a quarterfinal exit, losing 232–234 to Mexico in a closely fought contest.

While the margins were narrow, the result highlighted missed opportunities in clutch moments.

🎯 Recurve Events: A Disappointing Outing

India’s recurve campaign failed to make a significant impact, with early exits across categories.

Men’s Recurve Team

Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge
Eliminated in the opening round by Spain

Women’s Recurve Team

Deepika Kumari, Simranjeet Kaur, Kumkum Mohod
Beat England in the first round
Lost to Türkiye in a shoot-off (4–5) in the quarterfinals

Recurve Mixed Team

Dhiraj Bommadevara & Kumkum Mohod
Started strong but lost to Brazil (3–5) after leading early

📊 India’s Medal Tally – Puebla 2026

Event	Medal
Compound Women’s Team	🥇 Gold

👉 Total Medals: 1

🔍 Key Takeaways from India’s Campaign

Compound archery remains India’s strongest discipline, delivering consistent podium finishes
Jyothi Surekha Vennam-led unit continues to excel under pressure
Recurve teams struggled in knockout stages, especially in high-pressure shoot-offs
Lack of depth beyond compound remains a concern ahead of future stages

India’s campaign at Puebla can be summed up as:

Strong in compound, struggling in recurve.

While the gold medal provides a positive start, the overall performance exposes critical gaps that must be addressed if India aims to become a well-rounded archery powerhouse in 2026.