Madhura Dhamangaonkar Clinches Maiden World Cup Gold in a Thrilling Comeback at Archery World Cup Stage 2
Shanghai, May 10 – In a remarkable comeback to international archery after a three-year hiatus, Madhura Dhamangaonkar clinched her first-ever individual World Cup gold medal with a narrow 139-138 victory over USA’s Carson Krahe at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 on Saturday.The 24-year-old Indian archer, currently unranked in the World Archery standings due to her prolonged absence from the international circuit, displayed nerves of steel in a dramatic final showdown. Trailing 81-85 after a costly seven in the third end, Madhura staged a stunning recovery.
With the pressure mounting, she delivered a near-perfect fourth end, conceding just one point and leveling the score at 110-all. In the decisive fifth end, she fired two flawless 10s — both Xs, the closest to the bullseye — followed by a crucial 9 to edge past Krahe by a single point.
This gold marked Madhura’s third medal of the Shanghai leg. She earlier secured a silver in the women's team event and a bronze in the compound mixed team event alongside veteran Abhishek Verma.
Her impressive medal haul underscores a triumphant return to form and signals a powerful re-entry into elite-level archery.