Archer Dhiraj Bommadevara Scripts History, Wins 2026 World Cup Final Gold: MP CM Mohan Yadav Congratulates
Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara capped off a stellar year by winning the men's recurve title at the Saltillo 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Mexico.
The 25-year-old Dhiraj defeated Japan's Junya Nakanishi in a thrilling final. Bommadevara trailed twice—first 3-1 and then 5-3—but staged a remarkable comeback to level the match and force a shoot-off.
In the shoot-off, Bommadevara landed a perfect 10-X shot, while Nakanishi's arrow missed the mark. With this victory, the Indian archer secured his third major gold medal in a short span of time.
Prior to this, Bommadevara had won a bronze medal in the opening stage of last year's World Cup circuit and claimed the 2025 Asian Archery Championship title. Subsequently, he won his first World Cup gold in Antalya in June 2026, qualifying for the World Cup Final as India's sole representative.
This latest victory also made him the second Indian archer to win a recurve World Cup Final title; Dola Banerjee had previously won the women's recurve title in Dubai in 2007.
Bommadevara said he kept telling himself to fight until the very last arrow. He described the victory as a "dream come true," noting that representing India and seeing the national flag flying high was a moment of immense joy.
He also thanked the Archery Association of India, the Government of India, his coaches, and the support staff for helping him overcome financial hardships and continue his progress.
This victory marks a significant milestone in Bommadevara's career and could signal the beginning of many more successes on the biggest international stages.
CM Mohan Yadav Congratulates
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav has congratulated talented archer Dhiraj Bommadevara for scripting history by winning the gold medal.
CM Dr. Yadav said in a post on ‘X’, that Bommadevara has made the nation proud by winning the individual gold medal in the men’s recurve event at the Archery World Cup. He has also become the first Indian male recurve archer to win an individual gold medal in the competition.
The Chief Minister said that Bommadevara’s achievement reflects his talent, relentless hard work, unwavering determination and commitment to bringing glory to the country.
Dr. Mohan Yadav extended his best wishes to Bommadevara for continued outstanding performances in the future.