In a dramatic turn of events in Indian sports on May 18, India’s archery landscape saw surprising changes ahead of the Asian Games 2026, while Kerala Blasters FC finished their Indian Super League (ISL) season on a high note with a hard-fought win over FC Goa.
Archery: New Faces Ahead for Asian Games 2026
India finalised its 12-member archery squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan after a comprehensive selection trial held at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Sonipat, Haryana.
The process produced some startling results, most notably the omission of two of India’s most experienced recurve archers, Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, both of whom failed to secure a top-three finish in their respective categories. Each finished fourth in the recurve qualifiers, narrowly missing out on Asian Games berths.
Fresh talent has now been trusted to lead the charge. In the men’s recurve division, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan, and Yashdeep Bhoge earned their spots. On the women’s side, Kirti Sharma, Kumkum Mohod, and Ankita Bhakat will represent India. The compound teams feature strong contenders such as Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep, among others.
While Deepika and Atanu are not part of the Asian Games team, both will still compete for India at the Archery World Cup Stages 3 and 4 later this year.
Football: Kerala Blasters End ISL Campaign with 2–1 Win
In the Indian Super League, Kerala Blasters FC concluded their 2025–26 season with a 2–1 triumph over FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
The visitors were quick to settle into the contest, but it was the Blasters who struck first through a well-taken goal by Kevin Yoke, whose performance earned him the Player of the Match accolade. Goa responded when Muhammed Nemil levelled the score, but Fallou Ndiaye’s late strike ensured all three points for the Blasters.
The victory extended Kerala Blasters’ unbeaten run to six matches towards the end of the season. Despite the positive finish, the side ended the campaign eighth in the standings with 17 points, while FC Goa concluded in seventh place with 20 points.
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