Simranjeet Kaur once again underlined her importance to Indian archery by finishing on top of the women’s recurve standings after the round-robin stage of the first national selection archery trials of 2026, held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) ground in Kolkata.
In a competition designed to test consistency, temperament, and match-play sharpness, the Asian Games bronze medallist emerged as the most stable performer in a field that reflected the changing face of Indian archery.
Simranjeet won nine of her 11 round-robin matches, collecting 12 points across the qualification and league stages to maintain a clear lead at the top of the table. Crucially, she finished 1.5 points ahead of her nearest challenger, 16-year-old Kumkum Mohod, whose performances were among the biggest talking points of the trials. Veteran Deepika Kumari followed in third place with six wins and 9.5 points, ensuring that experience still has a strong presence at the top end of Indian women’s recurve archery.
The Kolkata trials, which run from January 5 to 9, are not just another domestic event. They form the first major filter in India’s selection roadmap for the 2026 international season, including the Archery World Cups and the Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya. The format combining qualification rounds with an intense round-robin league among the top 12 is designed to replicate international pressure, where archers must repeatedly deliver under match conditions rather than rely on a single high score.
In that context, Simranjeet’s performance stood out for its composure. Winning nine league matches in a tightly packed field requires not just technical clarity but also the ability to reset quickly after every contest. Her experience on the World Cup circuit and at multi-sport events was evident in how she managed momentum swings and closed out matches against both established names and emerging talents.
While Simranjeet held firm at the top, Kumkum Mohod’s rise provided a clear signal of the generational shift underway in Indian archery. The 16-year-old won seven round-robin matches against the country’s best recurve women, finishing second overall. Mohod’s results were not built on one-off surprises; they reflected an ability to improve as the trials progressed and to handle repeated high-pressure match-ups. That she pushed an experienced international archer like Simranjeet so closely over multiple stages highlights the depth now coming through the system.
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Deepika Kumari’s third-place finish carried its own significance. Returning to top-level competition after a maternity break, the four-time Olympian showed she remains highly competitive in domestic trials. With six wins in the round robin and a points total just behind the top two, Deepika ensured her place in the elimination stage and reaffirmed her relevance in a squad increasingly populated by younger challengers. While the aura around her name may no longer intimidate emerging archers in the same way, her consistency continues to make her a factor in any match-play scenario.
The top eight archers in the women’s recurve standings have progressed to the elimination rounds scheduled for Friday, where the format shifts fully to the Olympic set system. This stage is often decisive, as it rewards mental strength and tactical clarity over cumulative scoring. For Simranjeet, the elimination rounds present an opportunity to convert her league-stage dominance into a final statement. For Mohod and others, it is another chance to test themselves against India’s most decorated names in direct knockouts.
Beyond the women’s recurve category, the unratified results from Kolkata also confirmed familiar leaders in other divisions. Atanu Das topped the recurve men’s standings with 12 points, signaling a return to form after a challenging phase in recent seasons. In compound archery, reigning world champion Ojas Deotale led the men’s section with 11 points, while V. Jyothi Surekha finished first in the compound women’s category with 12.25 points, continuing her consistent run at the top of the discipline.
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Taken together, the early outcomes of the Kolkata trials point to an Indian archery program at an interesting crossroads. Established internationals like Simranjeet Kaur, Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, and Jyothi Surekha are still setting the benchmarks, but the margins are narrowing. Teenagers like Kumkum Mohod are no longer content with learning seasons; they are already competing for top spots.
As the trials move into the elimination phase, the focus will shift from league consistency to knockout nerve. For Simranjeet, maintaining her top position through the round robin has put her in a strong position, but the real test lies ahead. With international selection stakes attached to every arrow, the Kolkata trials are once again proving that in Indian archery, reputation alone is no longer enough sustained performance is the only currency that matters.
