India’s men's recurve team of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav shocked reigning Olympic champions South Korea for a historic win to land an Archery World Cup gold medal after 14 years, in Shanghai on Sunday.
This is the Indian men's recurve team's maiden triumph over the archery powerhouse in a World Cup final, and it will boost their chances of securing a berth in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
In a battle between the top-two seeds of the competition, the Indians showed ice-cool composure to get the better of the mighty Koreans without dropping a set.
India won 5-1 (57-57, 57-55, 55-53), taking their gold medal count to five in the season-opening global showpiece.
The 40-year-old armyman Tarundeep was also a part of the gold medal-winning team in Shanghai World Cup Stage 4 in August 2010. Then the recurve team, comprising Rahul Banerjee, Tarundeep and Jayanta, defeated Japan.
So far, India have a solitary Olympic berth which was earned by Dhiraj in the men's individual section.
The final Olympic qualifying event is the Stage 3 World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, from June 18 to 23 following which the team rankings will offer two additional quotas for the first time.
The two highest-ranked nations, who did not make the cut from the Qualifiers, will receive team berths for Paris from the World Archery rankings.
India (231 points) are now third in the world rankings behind China (241) and No. 1 South Korea (340) and are well-placed to make the Paris Olympics cut.
On Saturday, India’s compound archers had swept the team events, winning the men's, women's and mixed team gold medals.
Reigning Asian Games champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinched a fourth gold in women's compound individual section later on Saturday, while Priyansh settled for a maiden World Cup silver in the men's individual compound section.
India now have five gold and one silver medal so far in the competition.
Former world No. 1 Deepika Kumari is also eyeing a gold and will play her women's recurve individual semi-final.
India are also fighting for a bronze in the recurve mixed team event.
