Despite entering the competition as top seeds, the Indian compound mixed team of Abhishek Verma and Madhura Dhamangaonkar bowed out in the quarterfinals of the World Games 2025, following a narrow 151–154 loss to the South Korean duo of Yeeun Moon and Eunho Lee.
The early exit has come as a disappointing result for the Indian camp, which had high hopes from the pairing after their commanding performance in the ranking round.
With this defeat, India is now out of medal contention in the compound mixed team event, and the spotlight shifts to the individual archers both men and women who have qualified for the quarterfinals and will look to open India’s medal tally in the days to come.
Strong Start in Ranking Round Builds High Expectations
The Indian compound archery contingent entered the World Games with momentum and belief. That belief was validated in the ranking round, where the mixed team of Abhishek Verma and Madhura Dhamangaonkar emerged as top seeds, finishing first with a combined score of 1415. Their top ranking earned them a favorable draw heading into the elimination stages.
The individual performances in the ranking round were equally promising:
- Abhishek Verma ranked 5th with a total of 710
- Rishabh Yadav ranked 10th scoring 707
- Rakesh Kumar placed 19th with 699
On the women’s side,
- Madhura Dhamangaonkar secured 3rd place with 705, showing superb form
- Parneet Kaur also impressed, finishing 12th with 695
India’s compound archers were off to a blazing start positioned well on both fronts: individually and in team competition.
Round of 16: Indian Archers Blaze Through
In the Round of 16, all four Indian archers in action posted convincing wins to secure their spots in the quarterfinals of the individual events:
- Abhishek Verma defeated Jean Pizzaro of Puerto Rico 149–143
- Rishabh Yadav got the better of Guatemala’s Julio Barillas 147–143
- Madhura Dhamangaonkar overcame Iran’s Geesa Bybordy 141–136
- Parneet Kaur edged out Mariana Sanchez of Mexico in a shoot-off, winning 145 (10) to 145 (9)
Each of the wins showcased India’s precision, control under pressure, and the experience of competing on the world stage. With all four advancing, the hopes were high for a solid medal haul from the compound events.
Mixed Team Quarterfinal: Korea Spoils the Party
But the day took a disappointing turn in the compound mixed team quarterfinal, where India faced South Korea a nation traditionally strong in archery. Despite being the top-ranked pair, Abhishek and Madhura were unable to hold off the challenge from Yeeun Moon and Eunho Lee, losing 151–154 in a tightly contested battle.
The match began with both teams matching each other arrow for arrow. However, a couple of 9s from the Indian side in the later ends gave Korea the slim edge they needed to pull ahead. The Korean pair displayed excellent consistency and closed out the match with near-flawless execution. For the Indian team, which had topped the ranking round and looked set for a deep run, the loss came as a surprise. It marked an abrupt end to their campaign in the mixed team event and robbed India of a strong medal opportunity.
While not a catastrophe, the exit is certainly a letdown given the promise shown in the ranking round. The Indian team’s strong performances had generated excitement not just among the national archery community but also within fans back home, who have been following the sport’s growing presence on the global stage.
With the World Games being a high-profile multi-sport event, missing out on a medal in the mixed team event was a missed opportunity for visibility and podium finish.
Focus Shifts to Individual Events
All eyes now turn to the individual compound archery quarterfinals, where India still holds a strong hand. With Abhishek Verma, Rishabh Yadav, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, and Parneet Kaur all through to the last 8, the archery contingent still has a legitimate chance of returning with medals.
- Abhishek Verma, a veteran and former World Cup medallist, brings experience and composure to high-pressure matches.
- Rishabh Yadav, one of the rising stars, has shown solid form throughout the year.
- On the women’s side, Madhura’s early exit in the mixed team will only fuel her desire for redemption in the individual event.
- Parneet Kaur, having held her nerve in a shoot-off, looks ready to take on tougher challenges.
The compound events at the World Games serve as a major proving ground for elite-level archers, even though the discipline is not yet part of the Olympics. With the inclusion of compound archery in the LA 2028 Olympic program, events like these become all the more important to track India’s progress on the global stage.
The mixed team setback, while disappointing, shouldn’t overshadow the larger context India’s compound archers are firmly among the world’s best, and the individual events still hold promise for podium finishes.
The exit of India’s compound mixed team at the quarterfinal stage of the 2025 World Games is a reminder that even top seeds can falter under pressure. But with four archers through to the quarterfinals in individual events, India’s medal hopes remain alive and well.
As the spotlight now turns to the upcoming individual quarterfinals, fans and officials alike will be watching closely—hoping for redemption, resilience, and perhaps a medal-winning arrow that rewrites the narrative.
