India Finish Fourth in Compound Men’s Team Event at Archery World Cup Antalya After Thrilling Run
India's compound men's team put together an impressive run at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Antalya, Turkey, before narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
The trio of Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh M R Thirumuru and Kushal Dalal advanced to the semifinals after back-to-back shoot-off victories over Singapore and Italy but eventually finished fourth after losing to China in the last four and Mexico in the bronze medal match.
Despite leaving Antalya without a medal, the young Indian team demonstrated remarkable composure under pressure and highlighted the depth emerging within Indian compound archery.
India's campaign began in dramatic fashion in the Round of 16 against Singapore. Both teams were locked at 227-227 after regulation, forcing a shoot-off to determine the winner. Under immense pressure, the Indian trio produced a superior shoot-off score of 30 compared to Singapore's 28, securing passage into the quarterfinals.
The result showcased the team's ability to deliver in clutch situations, a quality that would again prove crucial later in the competition. For a relatively young lineup competing against experienced international opponents, the confidence gained from such a victory proved invaluable heading into the latter stages.
If the match against Singapore tested India's nerves, the quarterfinal against Italy demanded even greater precision. The contest remained neck-and-neck throughout, with neither team able to create separation. After 24 arrows, the scores were tied at 231-231, leading to yet another shoot-off. This time, the margin was even finer.
India edged Italy through a 29+ to 29 shoot-off victory, with the tie-break decided by arrow proximity to the centre. The result secured India's place in the semifinals and guaranteed the team at least a chance to fight for a medal.
Back-to-back shoot-off wins against quality opposition underlined the composure of Sahil, Ganesh and Kushal, who repeatedly delivered when the pressure was highest.
Awaiting India in the semifinals was a strong Chinese side that had looked impressive throughout the competition. Unlike their previous matches, India found themselves chasing the contest early. China produced a high-quality performance and outscored the Indians 235-232, ending India's hopes of reaching the gold medal match. The Chinese team's consistency proved decisive, with India unable to find the extra points needed to force another dramatic finish.
Although disappointed, the Indian archers still had an opportunity to secure a podium finish through the bronze medal match against Mexico.
The final hurdle proved equally challenging. Facing Mexico in the bronze medal contest, India once again found themselves involved in a tightly contested encounter. However, Mexico managed to edge the match 233-232, denying India a place on the podium by the narrowest of margins.
The one-point defeat was particularly painful given the quality of India's performances earlier in the tournament.
Nevertheless, a fourth-place finish at a World Cup stage event represents a respectable result, especially considering the competitive field featuring many of the world's top compound archery nations.
The Antalya campaign also featured several notable performances in the individual compound competitions. Ganesh M R Thirumuru impressed by defeating a Korean opponent 148-146 in the men's compound 1/24 round. Kushal Dalal enjoyed a strong run, first defeating Saudi Arabia 147-143 in the 1/48 round before winning an all-Indian contest against Rishabh Yadav. The two archers were tied at 146-146, with Kushal eventually prevailing in a shoot-off by virtue of a closer 10.
Rishabh's campaign ended despite matching Kushal's score across regulation.
Sahil Jadhav, meanwhile, saw his individual challenge conclude in the 1/24 round after a defeat against an opponent from Mexico.
India's compound women's team also faced a difficult draw in Antalya. The trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep saw their campaign end in the quarterfinals against the United States. In the individual competition, both Chikitha and Prithika suffered narrow shoot-off defeats in the 1/24 round against opponents from Korea and Chinese Taipei respectively. There was, however, success for Parneet Kaur, who edged past an American opponent 143-142 to advance to the next round.
While India ultimately missed out on a medal in the compound men's team event, the performances in Antalya offered several positives. The ability to win two consecutive shoot-offs against strong opposition demonstrated the mental strength of the team, while the overall consistency shown across the competition suggests that India's next generation of compound archers is capable of competing with the world's best.
With major international events still to come this season, including the World Championships and future World Cup stages, the experience gained in Antalya could prove valuable.
For Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh M R Thirumuru and Kushal Dalal, the tournament may have ended just short of a medal, but their run to the semifinals reinforced India's status as one of the strongest nations in compound archery and provided further optimism for the future.
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