Verma-Deepshikha enters final, recurve teams eye bronze at Asian Archery Championship

Dhaka, Nov 12 (IANS) India’s impressive run at the Asian Archery Championships 2025 continued on Wednesday as the compound mixed team of Abhishek Verma and Deepshikha stormed into the final, while the country’s recurve archers remained in medal contention after advancing to the bronze playoff.

The second-seeded Indian compound duo displayed precision and consistency to defeat Kazakhstan 156–153 in a one-sided semifinal. Their dominant win ensured India another guaranteed medal and a shot at a second successive compound mixed team gold at the continental event.

Verma and Deepshikha will now face hosts Bangladesh, who caused a major upset by stunning South Korea 158–153 in the other semifinal. India will be eyeing a repeat of last year’s success in Bangkok 2023, when Aditi Swami and Priyansh clinched the compound mixed team gold.

With this result, India has already secured five medals, while remaining in contention for seven more across categories.

In the recurve section, the newly formed mixed pair of Yashdeep Bhoge and Anshika Kumari impressed early, defeating Bangladesh 5–1 to reach the semifinals. However, their campaign was halted by a 0–6 loss to Chinese Taipei in the last four. The duo will now take on South Korea in what promises to be a tough bronze-medal playoff.

Earlier, India had confirmed four medals by storming into both the compound men’s and women’s team finals. The recurve men’s team also made it to the title round, ensuring India’s strong presence across team categories.

The individual events also brought more reasons for optimism. In the recurve women’s section, Ankita Bhakat, Deepika Kumari, and Sangeeta all advanced to the semifinals, guaranteeing at least one medal for India and keeping alive the possibility of a clean sweep.

Among men, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Rahul reached the recurve semifinals from opposite halves, raising hopes of an all-India final. Meanwhile, in the compound women’s category, A. Pradeep and Jyothi Surekha Vennam also made it to the last four, extending India’s medal count and underlining the team’s dominance across formats.

--IANS

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