Madrid : As the fourth and final stage of the 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup begins in Madrid from July 8 to 13, India has unveiled a strategic blend of experienced names and rising prospects, looking to fine-tune their performance ahead of the prestigious World Championships in Gwangju this September. The squad competing in Madrid is the same group selected for the World Championships. Notably absent are some of last season’s most accomplished archers—reigning champions Ojas Deotale, Aditi Swami, Abhishek Verma, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, and three-time Olympian Atanu Das—who all narrowly missed out on selection after extremely close trials.
India’s contingent features four debutants, three of them teenagers, marking a significant infusion of youth into the lineup. In the women’s recurve team, 15-year-old Gatha Khadake and 16-year-old Sharvari Shende will join seasoned campaigners Deepika Kumari, who topped the trials, and Ankita Bhakat. Gatha has already made an impression by registering the highest qualification score among all recurve archers during the domestic selection process. In the men’s recurve division, 20-year-old Rahul Singh will compete alongside Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan, and veteran Tarundeep Rai. The men’s compound squad consists of Prathamesh Fuge, Rishabh Yadav, Aman Saini, and Priyansh, while the women’s compound lineup includes Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, Chikitha Taniparthi, and 16-year-old Prithika Pradeep.
According to former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and national coach Rahul Banerjee, the Madrid stage will serve as a crucial “final dress rehearsal” before the World Championships. With over 330 archers from around the globe taking part, the event is not only an opportunity for podium finishes but also a chance to build momentum and gain experience in high-pressure elimination matches. In addition to medals, coveted places in the season-ending World Cup Final in Nanjing will be on the line.
Competition begins with qualification rounds for compound and recurve categories on July 8 and 9, followed by elimination matches on July 10 and 11. Medal contests will conclude the event on July 12 and 13. For India, success in Madrid is about much more than rankings—it is about assessing the readiness of a new-look squad that blends proven champions with promising young talent. As the archers prepare to draw their bows in Spain, all eyes will be on whether the country’s next generation can rise to the occasion and carry their momentum into the world stage later this year.
Interesting Points to Watch in Madrid:
Teen Debuts: Fifteen-year-old Gatha Khadake and sixteen-year-old Prithika Pradeep will compete internationally for the first time.
Deepika Kumari Returns: The former world number one leads the recurve team after topping national trials.
Close Trials Drama: Atanu Das and several other stars missed selection by fractions of a point.
Final Chance for Nanjing Spots: Strong performances here can secure entry into the prestigious World Cup Final.
Dress Rehearsal for Gwangju: The event is India’s last competitive test before the World Championships in September.
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