B. Dhiraj has etched his name into the history books, becoming the first Indian male archer to secure a gold medal in the recurve category at the
The victory marks a major milestone for Indian archery, as Dhiraj navigated a challenging field to clinch his maiden World Cup Final medal. His path to the title was defined by consistent accuracy and the ability to perform under pressure against some of the sport's most established international competitors.
A Dominant Path to the Final
Dhiraj’s campaign began with a commanding display against Turkish Olympic medallist Berkim Tumer in the quarterfinals. Demonstrating remarkable focus, the
Maintaining his rhythm, Dhiraj continued to shoot with fluency and precision. He mirrored his quarterfinal scoreline, defeating Valladont 7-1. The set scores of 28-25, 28-28, 29-24, and 29-28 highlighted his ability to remain composed against high-caliber opposition, setting the stage for a tense gold-medal showdown.
Clinching the Title in a Shoot-off
The final match against Japanese World Championships medallist Nakanishi Junya proved to be the ultimate test of nerves. Competing in his third World Cup Final, Dhiraj found himself locked in a back-and-forth battle that required a tie-breaker to decide the champion. After the regulation sets concluded at 5-5, the match went to a shoot-off.
Dhiraj held his nerve in the decisive moment, firing a 10 to edge past Nakanishi, who managed a 9. The final scoreline of 6-5 (28-28, 28-29, 29-28, 28-30, 28-27, shoot-off: 10-9) confirmed his historic achievement. This result serves as a testament to his development on the world stage and establishes him as a key contender heading into his next major international assignments.
