Indian Archers Shine at Asia Cup Singapore 2025 as U21 Compound Women’s Team Breaks World Record
India’s U-21 compound women’s team of Shanmukhi Budde, Tejal Salve, and Tanishka Thokal broke their own world record with 2101 points at the 2025 Asia Cup in Singapore. India is assured of multiple medals, including gold and silver in compound women’s individual and team events. Kushal Dalal reached the men’s final, while the recurve category saw limited success.
In a sensational show of precision and consistency, the Indian women’s U-21 compound team comprising Shanmukhi Budde, Tejal Salve, and Tanishka Thokal shattered their own world record at the Asia Cup 2025 (Leg 2) in Singapore. The young trio scored a stunning 2101 points, eclipsing their previous best of 2076 set back in 2023, and secured a place in the gold medal match of the Compound Women’s Team category.
This remarkable feat reinforces India’s growing depth in compound archery, particularly at the junior level, and comes on the back of sustained investment in youth development over the past few years. The record-breaking performance was not only a proud moment for Indian archery but also underlined the trio’s potential to dominate the world stage in the coming years.
Dominance in Compound Categories
India’s strong showing in the compound discipline continued throughout the tournament, with the women leading the charge. Along with the team success, the Compound Women’s individual event saw India secure both spots in the final, confirming gold and silver medals for the country.
Though official names for the finalists have yet to be confirmed, it’s evident that India’s compound women are in top form. Their accuracy, shot timing, and mental toughness have made them the standout contingent in Singapore. The final is scheduled for Friday, where India will finish on top of the podium regardless of the outcome—a rare and impressive achievement at the continental level.
On the men’s side, Kushal Dalal added another highlight to India’s campaign by storming into the gold medal match in the Compound Men’s Individual category. Dalal, who has consistently been among India’s top compound archers in recent seasons, will now aim to convert his run into gold on finals day.
The Indian men’s compound team has also confirmed a silver medal, with one more athlete still in contention for bronze, ensuring that India remains firmly in the medal hunt across all compound events.
Recurve Struggles Continue
While compound archers thrived in Singapore, it was a disappointing outing for India in the recurve categories, traditionally considered the Olympic format of archery.
In both men’s and women’s individual recurve events, no Indian archer reached the semifinal stage, marking a rare blank for a nation with a long history in recurve excellence. Despite the setback, the Indian men’s recurve team showed resilience and teamwork to advance into the gold medal match, offering a shot at redemption in the team format.
The recurve women’s team, however, failed to reach the final stages, raising questions about current form and depth at the senior level in this category. With the World Archery Championships and the Olympic qualification cycle approaching, these performances will be closely scrutinized.
Young Stars Shine Bright
The standout story of the tournament so far remains the brilliance of the U-21 trio—Budde, Salve, and Thokal—who not only broke the world record but did so with a sense of authority and calm well beyond their years. Shooting consistently across all ends, their collective score of 2101 reflects the near-flawless execution that has become a hallmark of India’s junior compound program.
Their previous record of 2076, set at the 2023 World Youth Championships, was already the benchmark in the category. To exceed that by 25 points on a continental stage indicates a team that is not just peaking, but redefining what’s possible in youth compound archery.
This achievement also marks a significant statement ahead of the 2025 World Youth Championships and further underscores India’s potential to dominate future international events.
Looking Ahead: Medal Matches on Friday
All eyes now turn to Friday’s medal matches, where India has multiple opportunities to add to its tally:
- Compound Women Individual: India is guaranteed Gold and Silver
- Compound Men Individual: Kushal Dalal will compete for Gold
- Compound Men Team: Silver confirmed
- Compound Men Individual: One athlete will fight for Bronze
- Compound Women Team: In the Gold Medal Match
- Recurve Men Team: In the Gold Medal Match
Despite the absence of individual medals in recurve, India could walk away from Singapore with six to seven medals, several of them gold, reaffirming its position as a compound powerhouse in Asia.
The Asia Cup Leg 2 in Singapore has been a tournament of contrasts for India—brilliant highs in compound, particularly from the U-21 women’s team, and sobering lows in recurve singles. But overall, India’s archers have once again proven their mettle, especially in the compound format, where they’ve not only dominated the field but also pushed the limits of the sport.
As the medal matches approach, expectations are high, and with young stars already writing history, India’s future in archery—especially in compound—looks brighter than ever.
