Bhubaneswar: The inaugural Archery Premier League (APL) took flight at New Delhi’s Yamuna Sports Complex, marking a bold new chapter for Indian archery. With six teams featuring 48 archers—including 36 Indians and 12 international stars—the event blends high-pressure action with a fast-paced format designed to thrill.
Each team of eight archers competes in a mixed setup of recurve and compound shooters, firing arrows from 70m and 50m respectively. With just 120 seconds for eight arrows, each archer has barely 15 seconds to shoot—a test of speed, accuracy, and nerves. As India’s top archer Deepika Kumari put it, “We do not have time to think; you have to go, shoot, and come back.”
Day 1 saw exciting results:
Mighty Marathas, led by Mike Schloesser and Alejandra Valencia, dominated the Kakatiya Knights 6–0.
Chola Chiefs, featuring Deepika Kumari and Brady Ellison, triumphed 5–1 over Chero Archers.
Rajputana Royals, with Mete Gazoz and Ella Gibson, crushed Prithviraaj Yohdas 6–0.
Adding glamour to the grand opening, film star Ram Charan, known for his archer role in RRR, joined as the league’s brand ambassador.
The APL continues till October 12, with live action streaming on archery.tv and archery+. Fast, global, and fiercely competitive—the league promises to reshape how India sees the sport of archery.
Discussion about this post