World Champion Aditi and Ojas left out of the squad for World Championships

At the recently concluded national archery selection trials, some of India’s most decorated names including reigning world champion Ojas Deotale and Olympians Atanu Das and Abhishek Verma failed to cut the upcoming World Archery Championships in Gwangju (September 5-12) and the World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid (July 8-13).

In their place, a wave of young, uncapped talent has stepped into the spotlight, notably three teenagers making their international debut on the senior circuit.

Recurve shake-up: teen duo stuns in women’s trials

Maharashtra’s 15-year-olds, Gatha Khadake and Sharvari Shende, stunned the field by finishing in the top four of the women’s recurve trials, joining veterans Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat.

The teenage duo dominated the qualification rounds, with Sharvari and Gatha finishing first and second, respectively, ahead of stalwarts Deepika (third) and Ankita (fourth).

In the knockout stage, Deepika leveraged her experience to outshoot Gatha and went on to top the trials with 16.5 points. Ankita (13.75), Gatha (13), and Sharvari (11.75) rounded out the top four.

All four will represent India at the Madrid World Cup, but only the top three — Deepika, Ankita, and Gatha — will travel to Korea for the World Championships.

Men’s recurve: Atanu misses out, Rahul Singh breaks through

The men’s recurve trials were equally intense, with Atanu Das falling agonisingly short, missing selection by just 0.5 points.

The standout story was the rise of 20-year-old Rahul Singh, an Army archer who grabbed third place with 13.5 points, sealing his maiden senior call-up. Dhiraj Bommadevara (17 points) and Neeraj Chauhan (15) topped the trials.

Veteran Tarundeep Rai, now representing Sikkim after retiring from the Army, edged past Das with 12.5 points, clinching the final spot in the squad.

The recurve men's team for both the World Cup and World Championships thus features a compelling mix of youth and experience.

Compound surprise: Aman Saini tops as Ojas, Verma, Madhura miss out

Perhaps the biggest headlines came from the compound archery trials, where major names fell out of contention.

World No. 7 Abhishek Verma, struggling for consistency since his 2023 win in Medellin, could manage only a seventh-place finish with 7.5 points. Meanwhile, 2023 world champion Ojas Deotale, considered a lock for selection, ended fifth with 10.25 points, and stage 2 gold medallist Madhura Dhamangaonkar also failed to qualify.

In their absence, Aman Saini (15.5 points), returning to international action after a three-year gap, emerged as the top scorer. He was followed by Prathamesh Fuge (13.75), Rishabh Yadav (13.5), and Priyansh (13), completing the men’s compound roster.

Women’s compound: Prithika breaks through in shoot-off

In the women’s compound section, 16-year-old Prithika Pradeep secured her place in the World Championship-bound team. Tied at 12.25 points with Chikitha Taniparthi, the teenager prevailed in a shoot-off to earn the final spot.

Veterans Jyothi Surekha Vennam (18.25) and Parneet Kaur (14) topped the standings to lead the squad. While all four will participate in the World Cup Stage 4, only Jyothi, Parneet, and Prithika will travel to Gwangju for the World Championships.

Final Indian Teams for Archery World Cup Stage 4 & World Championships

Recurve Men:

Dhiraj Bommadevara (SSCB)

Neeraj Chauhan (AIPSCB)

Rahul Singh (SSCB)

Tarundeep Rai (Sikkim)

Recurve Women:

Deepika Kumari (PSPB)

Ankita Bhakat (Jharkhand)

Gatha Khadake (15, Maharashtra)

Sharvari Shende (15, Maharashtra)

Compound Men:

Aman Saini (Delhi)

Prathamesh Fuge (Maharashtra)

Rishabh Yadav (Haryana)

Priyansh (Delhi)

Compound Women:

Jyothi Surekha Vennam (AAI)

Parneet Kaur (Punjab)

Prithika Pradeep (16, Maharashtra)

Chikitha Taniparthi (20, Telangana)

This trial marked a pivotal moment for Indian archery. The rise of teenage talents like Gatha, Sharvari, and Prithika reflects the strength of India’s grassroots system and the growing depth of talent.

At the same time, the omission of big names such as Ojas Deotale, Atanu Das, and Abhishek Verma signals a competitive era where current form outweighs past glory.

With the World Cup Stage 4 and the prestigious World Championships ahead, all eyes will be on this new-look Indian squad, a mix of seasoned names and rising stars ready to script a fresh chapter in India’s archery journey.