Shanghai, May 10 – In a sensational comeback to international archery, Madhura Dhamangaonkar captured her maiden individual World Cup gold, leading India's medal charge at the Compound Stage 2 World Cup in Shanghai with a total haul of two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.
Madhura's Golden Moment: A Comeback for the Ages
Unranked due to a three-year hiatus, 24-year-old Madhura Dhamangaonkar from Amravati, Maharashtra, scripted a dramatic one-point win over USA’s Carson Krahe in the women’s individual compound final. With nerves of steel, she edged out Krahe 139-138, securing a gold that capped off a stunning three-medal performance.Madhura opened strong with a perfect 30, including two Xs, but slipped in the middle ends with scores of 8 and a costly 7, trailing 81-85. Krahe capitalised with a perfect third end, but Madhura stormed back with a near-perfect 29 in the fourth, levelling the match at 110-all.
In a nerve-wracking final end, she shot two Xs and a 9, while Krahe could only manage 28, sealing Madhura's triumphant return to international competition.
Team India Shines: Verma, Deotale, Yadav Strike Gold
India’s medal tally kicked off with a men’s team gold, as the formidable trio of Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale, and Rishabh Yadav defeated Mexico 232-228 in a closely contested final.After starting with a solid 59 to Mexico’s 57, the match was tied at 115 halfway through. The Indian side took control with a 58 in the third end and closed with a brilliant 59, while Mexico faltered with 56.
Rishabh Yadav Clinches Individual Bronze
Rising star Rishabh Yadav, 22, added to India’s tally with his first individual World Cup medal, winning bronze in a shoot-off against South Korea’s Kim Jongho. With the match tied at 145-145, Yadav’s arrow landed closer to the centre in the decisive shoot-off (10*-10).Yadav had earlier lost a tight semifinal to world No. 1 Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands 144-147, but rebounded strongly to claim bronze.
Madhura’s Complete Medal Sweep
Madhura’s golden run began with a 143-141 victory over world No. 13 Hazal Burun of Turkey in her opening match. She then joined forces with Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Chikitha Taniparthi to claim women’s team silver, falling to Mexico 221-234 in the final.She also added a mixed team bronze alongside Abhishek Verma, defeating Malaysia 144-142 in a tight playoff, bringing her total medal count to three.
Eyes on Olympic Gold in 2028
India's performance reflects its growing dominance in compound archery, especially with the sport set to debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics with a mixed team event. With seasoned archers and new stars like Madhura and Yadav emerging, India is poised to be a strong contender for its first Olympic medal in compound archery.Recurve Contests Await on Final Day
The archery action isn’t over yet. On the final day of Stage 2, India will look to add to its medal tally in the recurve events. The Indian men’s team will fight for bronze, while Parth Salunkhe and Deepika Kumari are both in the semifinals, aiming for podium finishes.India’s resurgence in international compound archery, headlined by Madhura Dhamangaonkar’s remarkable comeback, signals a new chapter of dominance and depth as the country sets its sights on Olympic glory.