Bommadevara wins recurve men final to be only second Indian World Cup champion at Saltillo 2026
Dhiraj Bommadevara capped a brilliant run in the last 12 months by winning the recurve men's title at the Saltillo 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.
A bronze medallist at stage one of last year's circuit, Bommadevara went on to win the 2025 Asian Archery Championships and then grabbed his maiden World Cup gold at Antalya 2026 [stage three] to book his ticket to Mexico as India's only representative.
He completed the hat trick of major golds today at a stiflingly hot Plaza de Armas in style, sweeping aside Türkiye's Berkim Tumer and France's Jean-Charles Valladont 7-1.
Against Japan's Junya Nakanishi, however, Dhiraj was forced to battle for the top podium as he found himself down 3-1 and 5-3 in the contest.
But the 25-year-old archer responded brilliantly in both scenarios by dropping a 29 and then a 28 to Nakanishi's 28 and 27 - which aren't bad scores at all either.
In the shoot-off? There was no denying him.
A 10-X liner whilst Nakanishi dragged his shot wide right.
“From the start of the match until the very end, I kept one thing in mind: I had to fight right up to the final arrow,” said Dhiraj, who now joins Dola Banerjee [recurve women Dubai 2007] as one of India's two champions on the circuit. “I did fight, and I am incredibly proud and happy about that. I managed to achieve what I had worked so hard for, and I will continue to do so in the future.”
“It’s like a dream come true. Every athlete dreams of this - becoming a champion at events like the World Cup Final, Asian Games, or the Olympics, and waving the national tricolour.”
“That brings immense joy.”
The names that have held this coveted trophy in the recurve men category - Brady Ellison[who was eliminated earlier by Valladont], Kim Woojin, Marcus D’Almeida, Oh Jin Hyek - were or are not only technically excellent archers but ones that have displayed consistency at the highest level ever since the sport's premier international circuit began in 2006, particularly in Ellison and Woojin's cases.
This may be Dhiraj's first trophy but you get the sense that we'll be seeing him in future World Cup Finals and gold medal matches at any other major competition.
Already he has matured immensely since he got gold in Antalya in June when he could not stop shaking and was extremely emotional.
Here, the Indian still shouted and celebrated wildly with his coach Sonam Tshering Bhutia but was far more stoic afterwards in the television interview.
He knows how good he is.
“I want to dedicate this victory to the Archery Association of India and the Government of India,” he added. “Thanks to them, the financial struggles we faced have gradually eased. This achievement is also due to the coaching and support staff who stood as a backbone for us.”
“And to everyone in India, I just want to say one thing: if we can do it - if I can do it - then anyone can. This is just the beginning for Indian archery.”
The Saltillo 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final concludes this afternoon with the recurve women’s matches, streamed live on archery+.
Final ranking: Recurve men
Dhiraj Bommadevara, India
Junya Nakanishi, Japan
Mete Gazoz, Türkiye
Jean-Charles Valladont, France
Brady Ellison, USA
Matias Grande, Mexico
Mauro Nespoli, Italy- Berkim Tumer, Türkiye
