B. Dhiraj has etched his name into the history books, becoming the first Indian male archer to secure a gold medal at the
The victory marks a major milestone for Indian archery, as Dhiraj navigated a challenging field of elite competitors during his third appearance at the prestigious season-ending event. His path to the title was defined by consistent accuracy and the ability to hold his nerve during high-pressure moments, culminating in a tense final showdown.
A Dominant Path to the Final
Dhiraj’s campaign began with a statement win in the quarterfinals against Turkish Olympic medallist Berkim Tumer. Displaying remarkable focus, the Indian archer recorded six 10s to secure a convincing 7-1 victory, with set scores of 28-25, 29-26, 28-28, and 29-27. This momentum carried into the semifinals, where he faced French Olympic medallist Jean-Charles Valladont. Once again, Dhiraj maintained his fluency, mirroring his quarterfinal scoreline with another 7-1 win, finishing with set scores of 28-25, 28-28, 29-24, and 29-28.
Clinching the Title in a Shoot-off
The gold medal match against Japanese World Championships medallist Nakanishi Junya proved to be the ultimate test of endurance and precision. The contest remained neck-and-neck throughout the regulation sets, with both archers trading points in a back-and-forth battle that ended 5-5. The set scores read 28-28, 28-29, 29-28, 28-30, and 28-27.
With the match tied, the championship was decided by a single-arrow shoot-off. Dhiraj held his composure under immense pressure, landing a 10 to edge out his opponent, who managed a 9. This final arrow secured a 6-5 victory and cemented his status as the first Indian man to achieve gold at the World Cup Final.
