Top-Seeded Indian Compound Archery Mixed Team Falls to Korea in World Games Quarterfinals

Chengdu (China) – India's run in the compound mixed team archery event at the World Games 2025 came to a halt in the quarterfinals on Friday, as the top-seeded duo Madhura Dhamangaonkar and Abhishek Verma were edged out by South Korea’s Moon Yeeun and Lee Eun Ho.

Despite topping the qualification round with a combined score of 1415, the Indian pair suffered a 151-154 loss to the eighth-seeded Korean team, dashing their hopes of replicating their 2022 World Games success, where Abhishek and Jyothi Surekha Vennam won mixed team bronze in Birmingham.

Individual Hopes Still Alive
India's hopes now rest in the individual compound events, where four of five archers have reached the quarterfinals.

Veteran archer Abhishek Verma, a two-time Asian Games silver medallist, advanced directly to the second round with a bye, then defeated Puerto Rico’s Jean Pizarro 149-143 to secure his quarterfinal berth.

Rishabh Yadav, a rising talent, impressed with wins over Riku Van Tonder (New Zealand) and Julio Barillas (Guatemala) to also enter the final eight.

However, Rakesh Kumar narrowly lost a hard-fought match 146-147 to Turkey’s Batuhan Akcaoglu, bowing out of the tournament.

In the quarters, Abhishek will face Sawyer Sullivan (USA), while Rishabh takes on Yagiz Sezgin (Turkey).

Women’s Individual Compound
In the women’s section, Parneet Kaur continued her strong form, defeating Jeanine Van Kradenburg (South Africa) and fifth seed Mariana Bernal Sanchez (Mexico) to secure a quarterfinal showdown with fourth seed Alejandra Usquiano (Colombia).

Third seed Madhura Dhamangaonkar, who earlier this year won the World Cup stage in Shanghai, breezed past Iran’s Geesa Bybordy after an opening-round bye. She will now face Lisell Jaatma of Estonia in the quarters.

India's Contingent
India has sent a 17-member team to Chengdu for the World Games 2025, participating in events such as archery, billiards, racquetball, roller sports, and wushu.

With inputs from IANS