Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara on Sunday created history by becoming the first Indian man to win the Archery World Cup Final, defeating Japan’s Nakanishi Junya in a dramatic shoot-off in Saltillo.
The 25-year-old Army archer, ranked world No. 10, prevailed 6-5 over world No. 20 Nakanishi after the final was tied at 5-5 following five sets. Dhiraj shot a 10 in the shoot-off, while Nakanishi managed a nine to seal the gold medal.
The victory ended a long wait for India in the men’s recurve category at the prestigious season-ending event. Jayanta Talukdar had won bronze at the 2010 World Cup Final in Edinburgh, but no Indian man had previously claimed the title.
Dhiraj had entered the final after going without a medal in his previous two World Cup Final appearances in 2023 and 2024. He negotiated the knockout stages successfully before overcoming Nakanishi in a closely contested title clash.
The scores in the five sets were 28-28, 28-29, 29-28, 28-30 and 28-27, leaving the contest to be decided by a shoot-off.
Dhiraj’s triumph also marked India’s first individual World Cup Final gold since Dola Banerjee won the women’s title in Dubai in 2007. Banerjee remains the country’s only other individual World Cup Final champion.
India’s most decorated archer at the event is Deepika Kumari, who has won six World Cup Final medals — five silver and one bronze — across eight appearances.
For Dhiraj, the Saltillo victory marked a breakthrough in his third World Cup Final appearance and the biggest title of his career, while opening a new chapter for Indian men’s recurve archery.
(IANS Inputs)
