Four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari has dropped out of the Asian Games archery team
The Indian archery squad for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan was finalized on Monday after a tough three-day selection process in Sonepat, Haryana. The biggest headline from the trials was the omission of four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari, who failed to secure a spot in the women’s recurve team for the continental event.
Former Indian No.1 Atanu Das and decorated archer Abhishek Verma were also missing from the Asian Games squad after disappointing performances in the selection trials held at the SAI centre.
Held in difficult windy conditions, the trials were used to select Indian teams for the Asian Games as well as the upcoming third and fourth editions of the Archery World Cup.
While Deepika missed the Asian Games, she managed to retain her place in the Indian team for the World Cup stages as the fourth female archer.
Teenagers Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod emerged as the biggest positives from the trials in the women’s recurve category. Nineteen-year-old Kirti led the standings with 13.5 points, while Maharashtra’s Kumkum finished second.
Olympian Ankita Bhakat clinched the third and final berth at the Asian Games after beating Deepika Kumari in the shoot-out. Both archers finished level on 10.75 points after three rounds spread over three days before Ankita held her nerve in the decider.
This will be the second Asian Games in a row that Deepika will miss after she also failed to make the team for the 2022 Hangzhou Games following the birth of her daughter.
Despite being one of India’s most decorated archers with multiple World Cup medals and a Commonwealth Games title, Deepika is yet to win an individual medal at the Asian Games. Her best finish remains the women’s team bronze medal at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
KIRTI SHARMA’S QUICK ENTRY
Kirti Sharma’s rise in the rankings was one of the standout stories from the trials.
The young archer from Haryana’s Jind district is the daughter of an iron gate welder and was selected during the 2022 talent search trials conducted by coach Udham Singh before being inducted into the SAI Hazaribagh center in Jharkhand.
Kirti made her India debut at the Asia Cup in Bangkok earlier this year and has since represented the country in three Asia Cup events. Earlier this season, she won the team bronze medal along with Ridhi Phor and Ruma Biswas.
She also impressed in the knockout rounds at Sonepat, defeating experienced names like Ankita Bhakat and Ridhi Phor on her way to winning the trials.
“We advertised and she came all the way from Haryana for the trials. She has been training with us for the last five years,” coach Udham Singh told PTI after the trials.
With Kirti coming out on top, Singh will travel with the Indian women’s recurve team as a coach to the Asian Games.
Backing the young team, Singh said India needed to trust the next generation after years of relying on experienced names.
“We have seen what India achieved in the Olympics with experienced archers. Now the youngsters should get their chance. They have gone through an extreme match and beat the big names in tough windy conditions. I am sure they will do well,” he said.
DHIRAJ BOMMADEVARA DOMINATES THE MEN’S RECURVE
In the men’s recurve section, Dhiraj Bommadevara dominated the trials from start to finish, securing first place with 15.5 points.
Neeraj Chauhan finished second with 12.25 points while Yashdeep Bhoge sealed third place in the Asian Games with 11 points.
Atanu Das narrowly missed out on qualifying by just a point but retained his place in India’s set-up for the World Cup stages as the fourth archer.
The Indian men’s recurve team will be hoping to bounce back strongly after a disappointing run at the World Cup earlier this month where Dhiraj and Yashdeep were eliminated in the first round against Bangladesh.
JYOTHI LEADS THE NEW LOOK INGREDIENTS TEAM
India’s composite squad, which swept all five gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games, will travel to Japan with a relatively fresh-looking line-up.
Veteran Jyothi Surekha Vennam remains the only experienced name in the women’s line-up after dominating the trials with 15.5 points despite struggling for rhythm in recent months.
Chikitha Taniparthi and teenager Prithika Pradeep completed the women’s team.
The men’s composite part also brought big surprises.
Multiple Asian Games medalist Abhishek Verma endured a disastrous campaign to finish last among the top eight archers.
India’s top archer and world number seven Rishabh Yadav also missed out on qualifying for the Asian Games after finishing fourth behind Andhra Pradesh’s Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam.
World University Games champion Sahil Jadhav continued his impressive form by topping the men’s composite with 15.25 points.
Kushal Dalal finished second with 12.5 points, while Thirumuru claimed the third and final spot at the Asian Games with 10.75 points.
Expectations will once again be high for Indian compound archers after their historic gold sweep in Hangzhou. However, the challenge could be tougher this time around with a younger squad and no foreign coach after legendary Italian Sergio Pagni joined the South Korean squad.
ASIAN GAMES ARCHERY ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
Recurve men: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan, Yashdeep Bhoge, Atanu Das
Recurve womenCast: Kirti Sharma, Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat, Deepika Kumari
Composed menCast: Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam, Rishabh Yadav
Composite womenStarring: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, Prithika Pradeep, Parneet Kaur
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
18 May 2026 23:12 IST