Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara has scripted history by becoming the first Indian male recurve archer to win an individual gold medal at the Archery World Cup Final. The 25-year-old achieved this feat at the 2026 edition held in Saltillo, Mexico, adding a landmark achievement to Indian archery.

Dhiraj Bommadevara Wins Historic Archery World Cup Final Gold 2026

Bommadevara defeated Japan's Nakanishi Junya in a nail-biting gold medal match that went all the way to a shoot-off. With the scores level, he held his nerve and shot a perfect arrow in the decider to edge past his opponent. This win makes him only the second Indian archer ever to claim an individual title at the World Cup Final, following a similar feat by a women's recurve archer nearly two decades ago in Dubai.

As India's only representative in the men's recurve category at the event, Bommadevara had a dominant run throughout, beating a former Olympic medallist in the quarter-finals and a two-time Olympic silver medallist in the semis before reaching the summit clash. The final itself swung back and forth across five sets, with both archers matching each other shot for shot, before Bommadevara's composure in the decisive shoot-off sealed the win.

Archery World Cup: 7 April to 13 September, 2026

This victory capped a strong season for Bommadevara, who had already won an individual gold earlier in the year at a World Cup stage in Turkey, along with a mixed team gold. Overall, India finished the 2026 season with seven medals, including four gold, across the various stages of the tour. Notably, Bommadevara was India's only individual gold winner all season.

The World Cup Final marks the climax of the international archery calendar, where only the best-ranked archers earn a spot to compete. Having taken part in the finals in previous years without success, this win represents a true breakthrough for Bommadevara and a proud moment for Indian archery on the global stage.