India's most decorated archers at the World Cup: A look back

Indian recurve archers, led by the Tokyo-bound couple Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari, came up with their best performance at the World Cup Stage as they bagged three gold medals and one bronze.

Das bagged his first-ever gold in the men's individual recurve final while Kumari finished at the top podium spot of the women's individual recurve event for the third time.

India's medal winning run started with the women's recurve team of Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari bagging a gold medal after edging past Mexico 5-4 (27-26) in a close shoot-off.

Das, then, paired up with Ankita Bhakat in the mixed recurve team event bagged a bronze medal after registering an upset over top-seeded USA 6-2.

The performance from the Indian contingent comes as a major morale booster ahead of the Tokyo 2020 and it also helped the archers to add a feather in their cap.

Here's a look back at the Indian archers who have succeeded at the World Cup, which debuted in 2006.

Bombayla Devi Laishram

Manipur's Bombayla Devi is among the finest archers the country has produced. She represented the nation at the Olympics thrice helped her team to glory at the World Cup.

The recurve archer, however, never won an individual gold at the marque tournament but pocketed a total of 13 medals from the team events. It consists of four gold, five silver and four bronze medals which made her one of the most decorated Indian archers in the history of the World Cup.

She was also awarded the Arjuna award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2019 for her rich contribution to the sport.

Deepika Kumari

Former World No.1 Deepika Kumari, after her fine performance at the World Cup Stage I in Guatemala that included a perfect 10 shot to help the Indian women's recurve team beat Mexico, remains the biggest hope for the nation at Tokyo 2020.

With a gold medal each in team and individual events in 2021, Kumari has now bagged 25 medals across categories at the event. Significantly, the Ranchi archer has also clinched three gold, six silver and two bronze at the individual events, making her the most accomplished Indian archer of all-time at the World Cup.

In total, she has won seven gold medals at the World Cup including four in team events.

She was awarded the Arjuna award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2016 for her contribution to the sport.

Atanu Das

Atanu Das continues to rise through the ranks and prove his potential at international level. He is the best Indian male archer at the moment and lived up two the mark at the World Cup Stage I.

Das bagged an individual gold and a mixed team bronze to take his medal haul at the World Cup to six. He had previously clinched two silver and as many bronze medals at the marquee event.

The 29-year-old, who is incidentally married to Deepika Kumari, will have high hopes for Tokyo 2020.

Jayanta Talukdar

Guwahati-based archer Jayanta Talukdar recorded the best individual performance for India at the 2009 World Cup in Porec, Croatia with a gold medal. He finished ahead of Marco Galiazzo of Italy (silver) and Jean-Charles Valladont from France (bronze) to clinch the top honours.

The medal haul from Das and Kumari in Guatemala City was also the best-ever individual result for India since Talukdar triumphed in 2009.

The triumph at the 2009 World Cup was, incidentally, Talukdar's second gold medal as he had clinched his maiden individual gold at the marquee event in 2006.

Dola Banerjee

Dola Banerjee had also bagged a gold medal at the World Cup in 2007. She beat South Korea's Choi Eun Young 110-109 by a point to clinch the top honours while Russia's Natalya Erdyniyeva clinched the bronze medal.

Banerjee had overpowered Erdyniyeva 108-106 in the semi-finals.