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Bangladesh claims compound top seeds at second stage of Asia Cup

25 October 2026

Sulaymaniyah (Iraq)

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Bangladesh topped both compound individual events as qualification began at the Sulaymaniyah 2026 Asia Cup on Sunday, while Iran and Kazakhstan led the recurve fields.

The compound men’s event produced a close contest for the top seed. Bangladesh’s Nawaz Ahmed Rakib and Kazakhstan’s Pavel Kuznetsov both scored 693, but Rakib secured first place with 18 Xs to Kuznetsov’s 17.

Rakib and compatriot Himu Bachhar, who qualified fourth, were part of the Bangladesh team that made history by winning the country’s first-ever Asia Cup gold in the compound men’s team event at the first stage in Bangkok.

With Bangladesh again taking the top seed in the compound men’s team event, the pair will be looking to help their country defend its title in Sulaymaniyah.

Bangladesh also led the compound women’s field, with Bonna Akter scoring 696. Iraq’s Fatimah Saad AlMashhadani finished second with 693, putting a home archer among the leading qualifiers. Kazakhstan’s Elmira Raissova took third with 685.

In recurve men, Iran’s Mohammadhossein Golshani Asl topped the standings with 670 points. USA’s Nicholas D’Amour placed second with 661, while Bangladesh’s Abdur Rahman Alif was third with 657.

Kazakhstan’s Alexandra Zemlyanova led recurve women’s qualification with 658, improving from 326 points in the first half to 332 in the second.

Zemlyanova was also part of Kazakhstan’s recurve women’s team that won gold in Bangkok earlier this year. With Kazakhstan again taking the top seed in the team event, the team will aim to carry that form into Sulaymaniyah and defend its title.

Attention now turns to Monday’s team and mixed team eliminations at Sulaymaniyah Sport Club.