Indian Archery Sees Changing of the Guard as Youth Outshine Veterans in World Cup Trials

The landscape of Indian archery witnessed a dramatic reshuffle following the national selection trials held for the fourth stage of the Archery World Cup in Madrid and the upcoming World Championships in Gwangju. In a surprising twist, several of India’s most celebrated names, including Atanu Das, Abhishek Verma, and reigning world champion Ojas Deotale, failed to secure their places in the national team, making way for a promising new generation of archers.

In the men’s recurve category, Atanu Das missed selection by a narrow margin—just 0.5 points behind veteran Tarundeep Rai, who claimed the fourth and final berth. The top three were led by Dhiraj Bommadevara, followed by Neeraj Chauhan and Army man Rahul Singh, who will be making his senior team debut after a string of consistent performances.

The women’s recurve trials produced perhaps the most exciting development: two 15-year-olds, Gatha Khadake and Sharvari Shende, earned places in the top four, joining seasoned archers Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat. Deepika, who had finished third in the qualification stage, dominated the round-robin phase to secure her spot as the highest-ranked recurve woman overall. The emergence of Gatha and Sharvari, both from Maharashtra, signals a new chapter for the women’s team.

In compound men, Aman Saini led the trials with a commanding performance after a long absence from the national setup. He was followed by Prathamesh Fuge, Rishabh Yadav, and Priyansh. The bigger story, however, was the unexpected exit of Abhishek Verma and Ojas Deotale, who placed outside the top four despite their strong credentials and past international success.

On the women’s side in compound, the highly experienced Jyothi Surekha Vennam topped the trials, with Parneet Kaur close behind. A thrilling shoot-off decided the final spot, with 16-year-old Prithika Pradeep edging out Chikitha Taniparthi. It marks Prithika’s first inclusion in the senior national team, a significant milestone for the youngster.

While the complete four-member teams will travel to Madrid for World Cup Stage 4, only the top three archers in each category and gender will be eligible to represent India at the World Championships in September. The trial results demonstrate a merit-based shift in Indian archery, with selection squarely focused on current form rather than past accolades.

This new-look squad offers a blend of experienced international campaigners and fearless young challengers. With marquee events on the horizon, including Paris 2024 looming next year, the coming months could shape the next era of Indian archery. The baton, it seems, is already beginning to pass.

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