Three-time Olympian Deepika Kumari has made a remarkable comeback to the international archery scene, seizing the gold medal in the women’s individual recurve category at the Asia Cup 2024 stage-1 tournament held in Baghdad, Iraq.
Marking her return after a hiatus since the Paris Archery World Cup in June 2022, Deepika demonstrated her unwavering skill and focus as she clinched the individual recurve title by defeating compatriot Simranjeet Kaur with a commanding 6-2 victory in an all-Indian final showdown.
Having embraced motherhood in December 2022, Deepika’s journey back to the competitive arena has been nothing short of inspirational. Her return began with a gold medal triumph at the National Games held in Goa last year, followed by an impressive performance at the national selection trials in Kolkata, which secured her spot in the Indian setup once again.
Asia Cup 2024 archery: Medal Tally
India’s dominance in the Baghdad meet was evident as the contingent amassed a total of 14 medals, including nine gold, four silver, and one bronze. Dhiraj Bommadevara, echoing Deepika’s success, emerged victorious in the men’s recurve archery category by defeating senior compatriot and Olympian Tarundeep Rai with a convincing score of 7-3.
The Indian archers showcased their prowess across various disciplines, sweeping the top podiums in both the men’s and women’s compound events as well. Parneet Kaur and Prathamesh Jawkar secured gold medals in the women’s and men’s compound individual events respectively, further solidifying India’s dominance in the competition.
In team events, the Indian contingent continued to excel, with the women’s recurve team comprising Simranjeet Kaur, Deepika Kumari, and Bhajan Kaur clinching gold after a hard-fought battle against Uzbekistan. Similarly, the men’s recurve team, led by Dhiraj Bommadevara, Pravin Ramesh Jadhav, and Tarundeep Rai, secured gold with a commanding performance against Bangladesh.
The mixed team events saw India’s supremacy yet again, with Dhiraj Bommadevara and Simranjeet Kaur combining forces to secure another gold medal, underscoring the depth of talent within the Indian archery contingent.
