Dhiraj Bommadevara Marches into Semifinals in Antalya Archery World Cup 2026

Indian recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara continued his outstanding campaign at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya, Turkey, by securing a place in the men’s individual semifinals with a commanding 6-2 victory over Italy’s Massimiliano Mandia.

The 24-year-old has been one of India’s standout performers at the tournament and now finds himself just one win away from guaranteeing another medal. He will next face Germany’s Moritz Wieser in the semifinal as he looks to continue his impressive run on the international stage.

Dhiraj’s individual success comes alongside his strong showing in the mixed team event, where he and Kumkum Mohod have already assured India of a medal by reaching the final.

Before the knockout rounds began, Dhiraj produced a consistent display in qualification to finish sixth with a score of 681 out of 720. The result ensured a favourable draw and reflected the steady form he has shown throughout the season. Competing against some of the world’s leading recurve archers, Dhiraj demonstrated accuracy and composure that would later prove crucial in the elimination rounds.

Finishing inside the top eight also gave him confidence heading into the head-to-head format, where every arrow can determine the outcome of a match.

Dhiraj opened his elimination campaign with a convincing 6-2 victory over Germany’s Leon Zamella in the Round of 32. The Indian archer maintained control throughout the contest, using consistent scoring to keep his opponent under pressure and advance without major difficulty. His Round of 16 encounter against Iran’s Mohammad Golshani followed a similar pattern.

Once again, Dhiraj produced a composed performance to register another 6-2 victory, booking his place in the quarterfinals and continuing his unbeaten run in Antalya. The back-to-back wins highlighted not only his technical quality but also his ability to remain calm during high-pressure elimination matches.

Facing experienced Italian archer Massimiliano Mandia in the quarterfinals, Dhiraj delivered another disciplined performance. Although the official scoreline read 6-2, the match itself was tightly contested, with both archers producing several evenly matched sets. The opening set ended in a 29-29 tie, before the second was also shared at 28-28.

Dhiraj then elevated his performance when it mattered most, winning the next two sets 30-29 and 29-28 to secure the victory and advance to the semifinals. His ability to produce near-perfect arrows in decisive moments proved to be the difference, underlining the maturity he has developed at the highest level of international competition.

The semifinal will see Dhiraj take on Germany’s Moritz Wieser, another archer who has impressed throughout the competition. The matchup promises to be closely contested, with both athletes demonstrating consistency in Antalya. For Dhiraj, reaching the last four is another significant milestone in what has been an encouraging season. A victory over Wieser would guarantee him at least a silver medal and a place in the gold medal match.

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Given his current form, the Indian will believe he has every chance of progressing further.

Dhiraj’s achievements in Antalya have not been limited to the men’s individual competition. Alongside Kumkum Mohod, he has guided India into the recurve mixed team final, ensuring the country’s first medal in the event at a World Cup stage in two years. The pair defeated Denmark, the United States and Germany to set up a title clash against South Korea, showcasing exceptional teamwork and consistency throughout the tournament.

Balancing commitments across both individual and mixed team events requires physical endurance and mental resilience, making Dhiraj’s performances even more impressive.

While India has enjoyed considerable success in recurve events, the same could not be said for the compound competitions. None of the Indian compound archers managed to progress beyond the early knockout stages in the individual events, with the country failing to place a representative in the Round of 16. The compound men’s team came closest to securing a medal but ultimately finished fourth after reaching the semifinals and narrowly losing the bronze medal match.

As a result, much of India’s hopes in Antalya have rested on its recurve contingent and Dhiraj has risen to the occasion.

Dhiraj Bommadevara has steadily established himself as one of India’s leading recurve archers over the past few seasons. His performances in Antalya reinforce that reputation and highlight his growing ability to compete with the world’s best under pressure. Whether in qualification rounds, elimination matches or team events, he has displayed remarkable consistency and composure.

With a semifinal against Moritz Wieser still to come and a mixed team final alongside Kumkum Mohod also on the schedule, Dhiraj remains in contention for multiple medals.

For Indian archery fans, his performances in Antalya offer optimism not only for this World Cup stage but also for the bigger international competitions that lie ahead. If he can maintain this level, Dhiraj Bommadevara could become one of the defining figures of India’s recurve programme in the years to come.