Rishabh Yadav made history for India by clinching the bronze medal in the men’s compound archery event at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, on August 9.
The 22-year-old, seeded 10th, overcame senior teammate and multiple World Cup gold medallist Abhishek Verma in a thrilling all-Indian contest, winning 149–147.
This is India’s first individual medal in archery at the World Games and the nation’s sixth overall medal at the event across all sports. Leading Indian sports officials, including Archery Association of India President Arjun Munda, hailed the achievement as a “moment of immense pride” that could inspire a new era for Indian archery.
Precision Under Pressure
In a display of nerves of steel, Yadav maintained a narrow edge from the very first end, leading 30–29 early in the match. Both archers fired perfect 30s in the third end, with Yadav continuing to build momentum.
The contest reached its peak intensity when, under immense pressure, Yadav delivered nine consecutive perfect 10s in the closing stages an extraordinary feat at this level. His accuracy proved just enough to leave Verma marginally behind despite a strong finish from the veteran.
Yadav’s medal journey saw him dispatch New Zealand’s Riku Van Tonder, Guatemala’s Julio Barillas, and Turkiye’s Yagiz Sezgin, before falling in a close semi-final to USA’s Curtis Broadnax the eventual silver medallist.
Commending Yadav, national coach Jeevanjot Singh Teja said, “His tactical discipline, especially in the final ends, shows a maturity beyond his age. This is the sign of a future champion.”
Setting a Historic Precedent
This bronze marks only the second archery medal for India in the history of the World Games the first being Jyothi Surekha Vennam’s bronze in 2013. The battle between Yadav and Verma underscored India’s rising stature in compound archery, a discipline where the country now boasts multiple world-class athletes.
Verma himself entered the match after defeating top international opponents from Puerto Rico and the USA, reinforcing the squad’s competitive depth.
On the broader scale, India has sent a 17-member contingent to Chengdu, participating across billiards, racquetball, roller sports, and wushu.
While the mixed team compound event ended in a quarter-final exit, Yadav’s podium finish ensures that India’s presence at the Games will be remembered for a long time. In the men’s individual event, Dutch world number one Mike Schloesser took gold, while Broadnax secured silver.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Beyond the numbers and medals, Rishabh Yadav’s success is a story of patience, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in one’s ability. In the face of seasoned competition, he demonstrated humility in victory and respect for his opponent, embodying values that transcend sport. His achievement offers a timely reminder that when young athletes are provided with the right infrastructure, mentorship, and international exposure, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.
The Logical Indian believes that celebrating such achievements is not just about honouring the athlete of the moment, but about building a supportive ecosystem for thousands of unseen aspirants who dream just as big. How do you think India can create long-term support systems that empower emerging athletes to succeed globally ensuring that moments like Chengdu 2025 become the norm, not the exception?
