India won two medals, including one gold and one bronze, at the 20th Shanghai Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 2 held in Shanghai, China. The Indian women’s recurve team clinched a thrilling gold medal by defeating the host nation, while Sahil Jadhav earned a bronze medal in the men’s individual compound category. This double-podium finish marks a major achievement for the nation on the global stage, showcasing India’s deep talent pool in both traditional recurve and compound disciplines.
India Clinches Gold in Women’s Recurve Team Event
The Indian women’s recurve team, comprising veteran archer Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod, put up a stellar performance to win the gold medal. Their journey to the top of the podium was marked by clinical victories against tough opponents. In the initial rounds, the Indian trio defeated Uzbekistan 6-2 in the pre-quarters and edged past Vietnam 5-4 in a closely contested quarterfinal.
In the semifinal, the Indian team registered a massive upset by defeating the top-seeded South Korea with a convincing 5-1 margin. The South Korean team, known as a ten-time Olympic champion powerhouse, was thoroughly outclassed by the precise shooting of the Indian side. This victory set up a gold-medal clash with the host nation, China, represented by Zhu Jingyi, Huang Yuwei, and Yu Qi.
The final match against China was a tense affair, ending in a 4-4 tie after the regulation four sets of arrows. In the high-pressure shoot-off that followed, the Indian archers maintained their composure. Ankita Bhakat opened with a 9, followed by a perfect 10 from Kumkum Mohod. Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari then sealed the gold with a 9 on the final arrow, securing a 28-26 victory in the shoot-off. This gold medal marks India’s first women’s recurve team World Cup title since 2021.
Sahil Jadhav Secures Bronze in Men’s Individual Compound
In the compound category, 25-year-old Indian archer Sahil Jadhav delivered a stellar performance to secure a bronze medal in the men’s individual compound event. This bronze playoff, held on May 9, 2026, saw Jadhav defeat Denmark’s veteran archer Martin Damsbo with a score of 147-144. Despite trailing 30-29 in the first end of the match, Jadhav mounted a strong comeback in the subsequent ends to claim his maiden individual World Cup medal.
Jadhav’s path to the podium featured victories against highly ranked international competitors and senior teammates. In the round of 32, he defeated Indian veteran Abhishek Verma. He then eliminated Germany’s Ruven Flüß in the pre-quarters, before edging out the 2021 world champion Nico Wiener of Austria in a tense quarterfinal shoot-off.
Although Jadhav suffered a narrow 147-145 defeat in the semifinal against the reigning world champion Nicolas Girard of France, he bounced back quickly to win the bronze-medal match. His bronze was India’s sole medal in the compound division during the Shanghai leg of the World Cup, highlighting his emerging status in the international arena.
Overall Standings and Global Performances
The 20th edition of the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai witnessed fierce competition among the world’s leading archery nations. Türkiye topped the overall medal standings, collecting a total of six medals including two gold, three silver, and one bronze. The Turkish squad showcased their depth in both team and individual categories, maintaining a high level of consistency throughout the week-long event.
The host nation, China, followed closely in second place with a total of five medals including two gold, two silver, and one bronze. Traditional archery powerhouse South Korea also secured vital podium finishes, including a gold in the men’s recurve team event. The overall performance rankings highlight the intensifying global competitiveness in archery, with India establishing itself as a top-tier contender.
The final medal standings of the top-performing nations at the Shanghai leg are summarized below:
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total Medals | Key Performance Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Türkiye | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | Topped overall standings with strong individual and team compound runs |
| China | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Finished second; gold in men’s recurve individual and recurve mixed team events |
| South Korea | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Gold in men’s recurve team event; silver in recurve mixed team event |
| India | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Gold in women’s recurve team; bronze in compound men’s individual |
Archery World Cup and Governing Bodies: Key Facts
The World Archery Federation, originally established as the Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (FITA), serves as the international governing body for the sport. Founded on September 4, 1931, in Lwów, Poland (now Lviv, Ukraine), the organization is headquartered at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland. Under the leadership of president Greg Easton, who took office in 2025, the federation regulates global archery rules, rankings, and major international tournaments.
The Archery World Cup was launched by the federation in 2006 to increase the sport’s global popularity and media appeal. The annual tournament is organized as a circuit with multiple stages hosted in different countries. For the 2026 season, the competition features four distinct stages held in Puebla (Mexico), Shanghai (China), Antalya (Türkiye), and Madrid (Spain), before concluding with the season finale in Saltillo, Mexico.
Key Takeaways
- India won two medals (one gold and one bronze) at the 20th Shanghai Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 2 held in Shanghai, China.
- The Indian women’s recurve team, comprising Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod, defeated China 28-26 in a tie-breaker shoot-off to win the gold medal.
- In the men’s individual compound category, 25-year-old Sahil Jadhav won the bronze medal by defeating Denmark’s Martin Damsbo with a score of 147-144.
- Türkiye topped the overall medal standings with six medals (two gold, three silver, and one bronze), followed by China and South Korea.
- The World Archery Federation was founded in 1931 as the Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (FITA) and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- The Archery World Cup was introduced in 2006 as an annual premier international circuit that concludes with a season-ending final in Saltillo, Mexico.
