Archery World Cup Stage 2: Madhura Dhamangaonkar's Gold Takes India's Tally To Four Medals

Madhura Dhamangaonkar claimed her first individual World Cup gold at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 with a sensational 139-138 victory over USA's Carson Krahe in the final on Saturday. Madhura, unranked in the World Archery standings due to a three-year absence from international competition, was trailing 81-85 after a costly seven in the third end. However, the 24-year-old displayed incredible poise under pressure, dropping just one point in an almost perfect fourth end to tie the match at 110-110.

In the final round, she held her nerve, delivering two perfect 10s - both X-ring shots - and a 9 to edge out Krahe by a single point in a nail-biting finish.

This gold marked Madhura's third medal of the tournament, following a silver in the women's team event and a bronze in the compound mixed team event with Abhishek Verma - a remarkable comeback to international archery after a three-year hiatus.

It was India's fourth medal in the Archery World Cup Stage 2 following a gold in the men's compound team event, silver in the women's team event and bronze in the mixed team competition.

The men's team - Abhishek Verma, Ojas Deotale, and Rishabh Yadav - clinched the gold with a composed and consistent display, defeating Mexico 232-228 in the final. They defeated Denmark 232-231 in a tight semifinal.

In the women's compound final, the Indian trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Madhura Dhamangaonkar and Chikitha Taniparthi had to settle for silver after a 221–234 defeat to a dominant Mexican team. Despite the one-sided result, the Indian women impressed throughout the tournament and secured a well-earned podium finish.

Adding to India's medal haul, the compound mixed team of Abhishek Verma and Madhura Dhamangaonkar claimed bronze with a win over Malaysia in a low-scoring third-place match.

These results highlight India's growing depth and consistency in compound archery on the global stage. With compound archery set to debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics - featuring only a mixed team event - India's recent performances offer encouraging signs in their pursuit of a historic first Olympic medal in the sport.

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