Archery Premier League Season 2 Begins
Archery Premier League Season 2 Begins in Hyderabad
The Archery Premier League returns for its second season in Hyderabad, bringing India’s biggest archery names together with leading international stars. The tournament begins on October 8 and runs until October 18, with 48 archers across six teams competing in the franchise league. The timing is significant, with India arriving fresh from a remarkable nine-medal haul, including five golds, at the Asian Games.
Asian Games Stars Lead the Archery Charge
The Indian archers entering Season 2 include several recent Asian Games champions. Seventeen-year-old Kumkum Mohod arrives after making history as the first Indian recurve archer to win an individual Asian Games gold. Chikitha Taniparthi also enters the APL after winning two gold medals in compound archery, while Jyothi Surekha Vennam remains one of India’s leading compound stars.
Deepika, Atanu and Dhiraj Add Experience
India’s experienced archery stars will also be central to the competition. Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das and Asian champion Dhiraj Bommadevara headline the recurve field. Former world No. 1 Abhishek Verma and world champion Ojas Pravin Deotale strengthen the compound line-up.
Kumkum Mohod Takes Her Asian Games Form to APL
For Kumkum Mohod, the Archery Premier League provides an immediate opportunity to build on her breakthrough Asian Games campaign. At just 17, she finished the Games with two gold medals and a silver, including the historic individual recurve title. She will now compete for Chero Archers alongside Sahil Jadhav and Atanu Das.
Six Teams, 48 Archers and a Faster Challenge
Season 2 features six teams — Mighty Marathas, Rajputana Royals, Prithviraaj Yodhas, Kakatiya Knights, Chero Archers and Chola Chiefs. The league includes 36 Indian and 12 international archers, with Olympic champion Mete Gazoz, world No. 1 Marcus D’Almeida and Paris 2024 bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold among the international names.
One of the biggest challenges is the 15-second shot clock, five seconds quicker than the standard World Archery timing. Dhiraj Bommadevara described the format as “very challenging”, saying it has also become part of the archers’ training.
A New Test After Asian Games Glory
The APL Season 2 gives India’s archery stars a different challenge: teammates from the Asian Games will now become franchise rivals, while international champions will join them as teammates. After India’s nine-medal Asian Games performance, Hyderabad offers another stage for the country’s leading archers to test themselves against the world’s best.
