India enjoyed a powerful day in the men’s recurve individual eliminations at the Asian Archery Championships, with Dhiraj Bommadevara and Rahul advancing to the semifinals after a series of measured, confident wins.
Their run capped off a dominant showing from the Indian squad, which placed all four archers into the knockout stages and kept two in medal contention heading into the final day. This performance comes in a field traditionally marked by Korean, Chinese Taipei, and China. Yet in Bangladesh, it was the Indian men who set the tone with accuracy, steady nerves, and consistent end-to-end shooting.
Dhiraj Bommadevara: Calm, Precise, and in Complete Control
Dhiraj Bommadevara, India’s most consistent performer in major events over the past two seasons, delivered another composed elimination campaign. After entering the draw highly seeded, he opened with a bye in the 1/24 round and immediately settled into rhythm in his first outing of the day.
1/16 Round: He defeated Md Rakib Mia of Bangladesh 6–2, scoring with control and rarely allowing the match to drift out of his command. The set scores reflected steadiness rather than risk the hallmark of Dhiraj’s knockout temperament.
Round of 16: He then powered past MohammadHossein Golshani Asl of Iran 6–2, this time with tighter grouping and clear shot discipline. Every set saw Dhiraj adjusting to sight picture and wind drift without losing balance in execution.
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Quarterfinals: His quarterfinal was one of the most tactically impressive matches of the morning. Up against Uzbekistan’s Amirkhon Sadikov, Dhiraj stayed consistent through fluctuating conditions, winning the encounter 6–4.
Set 3 and Set 5, where he edged ahead with precise 10s, were decisive showcasing his ability to lift his shot level exactly when pressure demanded it.
Semifinal Awaiting
His progress into the last four places him against Korea’s Jang Chaehwan, where he enters with both momentum and confidence. More importantly, his route to the semifinals displayed balance, economy, and execution the traits India has come to depend on from him.
Rahul’s Sharp Run Takes Him Into the Last Four
If Dhiraj played with maturity, Rahul shot with clarity and intent winning tight sets, pushing tempo when required, and delivering some of the best individual end scores of the session.
1/24 and 1/16 Rounds: Rahul began with a pre-seeded entry, then put on a composed 6–2 win over Bhutan’s Dorji Lam. He followed this with a strong 6–2 win over China’s Fu Zixuan, shooting clean 9–10 groups and maintaining arrow-to-arrow rhythm.
Round of 16: In the next round, Rahul delivered one of the most confident Indian wins of the day: a 6–0 sweep against Vietnam’s Duy Nguyen. He controlled all three sets, scoring consistently in the high 20s, reflecting outstanding shot timing and a stable release.
Quarterfinals: The quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Zih-Siang was expected to be competitive, but Rahul handled it with calm precision, winning 6–2. His ends of 28, 27, and 28 were among the cleanest numbers shot by any athlete in the bracket.
Rahul’s poise under scoring pressure and his ability to close matches strongly have been notable improvements in his game over the past season. His semifinal now pits him against Seo Mingi of Korea — a stern test, but one Rahul enters with rhythm and assurance.
Yashdeep and Atanu Fight Hard But Exit in Knockouts
India’s depth was on full display with four Indians making the elimination bracket, but Yashdeep Bhoge and Atanu Das bowed out after hard-fought matches.
After a bye in the 1/24 round, Yashdeep faced Bangladesh’s Md Rakib Mia in the 1/16 stage. Despite shooting some strong arrows, he lost 4–6, unable to convert key moments in sets three and five. The match was competitive, but the lack of early momentum cost him. Atanu began with a pre-seeded path into the 1/16 stage but fell 4–6 to Vietnam’s Duy Nguyen. Atanu shot with solid grouping but missed critical 10s in the final set, allowing the Vietnamese archer to edge past. His exit was one of the few setbacks in an otherwise dominant day for the Indian side.
Two Indians in the Semifinals: A Strong Medal Prospect
With Dhiraj and Rahul advancing to the last four, India is guaranteed at least a shot at a medal, and could even see an all-Indian final depending on semifinal outcomes. Their progression also signals a wider shift: India’s men’s recurve unit is no longer just competitive it is contending deep into Asian-level brackets with regularity.
Against traditional powerhouses like Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Uzbekistan, India stood firm, delivered under pressure, and matched technical precision with match temperament.
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India has placed itself perfectly for a strong finish, and the semifinals now offer an opportunity to convert a good day into a historic one.
