Andhra CM, Governor congratulate Dhiraj on Archery World Cup double gold
Amaravati, June 15
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Monday congratulated Telugu archer Bommadevara Dhiraj on winning two gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Antalya, Turkey.
It is a matter of pride that, in this competition taking place at the Antalya in Turkey, he secured a gold medal in the mixed team event alongside Kumkum Mohod, as well as in the Men's Individual Recurve category, the Chief Minister said in a post on 'X'.
"Achieving victory in the finals over Lee Woo-seok from South Korea, who holds an unbeatable position in archery, stands as a testament to Dhiraj's talent. On this occasion, best wishes to Dheeraj, Kumkum Mohod, and Team India. I wholeheartedly wish for them to achieve many more victories," added Chandrababu Naidu.
Governor Abdul Nazeer congratulated Dhiraj Bommadevara for winning his first individual Archery World Cup gold medal at the 2026 Archery World Cup held in Antalya, Turkey on Sunday.
The Governor also congratulated Dhiraj and his team members for winning the second gold medal in the recurve mixed team event. He said it is a proud moment for Andhra Pradesh and the country and wished him to win many more laurels in the future.
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has also congratulated Bommadevara Dhiraj of Vijayawada on creating history at the Archery World Cup by winning the Men's Singles Gold Medal.
"Winning two gold medals in a single day, including the Mixed Doubles title, is a remarkable achievement that has made Andhra Pradesh and India proud. Wishing him many more victories and glory in the years ahead," said Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The 24-year-old stunned Olympic bronze medallist Lee Woo-seok 7-3 in the men's individual recurve final to claim his maiden Archery World Cup gold medal. Dhiraj is the first Indian archer to win gold in men's individual recurve since Atanu Das achieved the feat in 2021.
Dhiraj, along with 17-year-old Kumkum defeated the top-seeded South Korean duo of Oh Yejin and Kim Je-deok 5-1 in the recurve mixed team final.
They became only the third Indian mixed recurve pair to win gold at a World Cup stage, following Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das in Paris in 2021 and Tarundeep Rai and Ridhi in Antalya in 2022.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Kumkum Mohod is only 17 and already winning gold at the World Cup! What incredible talent we have in our country. But honestly, why do politicians always jump in to take credit? Focus on building proper training facilities instead of just posting on 'X' after victories.
As someone who follows archery internationally, this is a huge deal. Beating Lee Woo-seok, an Olympic bronze medalist, is no small feat. Dhiraj's consistency in the finals shows he has the mental strength for big tournaments. India's archery future looks bright.
Superb performance! First individual World Cup gold since Atanu Das in 2021. But where was this support for archers earlier? Our athletes succeed despite the system, not because of it. Hope the government uses this momentum to promote archery in Telugu states. 🎯
This is what happens when talent meets hard work. Dhiraj from Vijayawada has put Andhra on the world map. Mixed team gold with Kumkum is special - they beat the top-seeded Korean pair! Reminds me of Deepika and Atanu's heroics. More power to them! 🏆
Impressive achievement, but let's not get carried away. We need sustained performance, not one-off successes. The Korean archers have dominated for decades because of their systematic approach. India should learn from them rather than just celebrating occasional wins.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.