India's Top Archers to Compete in Inaugural Archery Premier League

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) India’s elite archers, such as Deepika Kumari, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Abhishek Verma, are set to participate in the inaugural Archery Premier League (APL), as confirmed by the national federation on Monday. The competition, featuring six franchises, is being hailed as a pioneering global event. It aims to gather top-tier recurve and compound archers from around the globe for an 11-day spectacle in October at New Delhi's Yamuna Sports Complex. While Indian archers will definitely feature prominently, the APL, backed by World Archery and the Asian federation, will also include top-ranked international competitors. Their names, however, remain under wraps for now. Unlike an auction, the first season is poised to employ a draft system, with each squad comprising eight members — four men and four women. Teams can incorporate up to two foreign archers, but are required to have at least one foreign player among the active participants. The recurve and compound categories will feature contests at 70m and 50m distances respectively, in a distinctive team format under floodlights. Indian archer participants were chosen based on their international rankings and results from recent selection trials by the Archery Association of India. In the recurve events, world No. 3 Deepika Kumari and world No. 14 Dhiraj Bommadevara are the standout names, with experienced competitors like Tarundeep Rai and Atanu Das also taking part. The women’s recurve group also includes Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur, while the men’s lineup boasts Neeraj Chauhan, Rahul, Rohit Kumar, Mrinal Chauhan, Sachin Gupta, and Krish Kumar. In the compound category, world record-holder Jyothi Surekha Vennam (ranked No. 3) and world No. 9 Rishabh Yadav lead the team. They are supported by seasoned performers such as Abhishek Verma (No. 10), Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge (No. 11), Priyansh (No. 16), and Parneet Kaur (No. 17). The men's lineup is also strengthened by Aman Saini, Ojas Deotale, Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, and Chittibomma Jignas, while the women’s side features Prithika Pradeep, Avneet Kaur, and Madhura Dhamangaonkar. "We are thrilled to showcase India's top archers in the first season of the Archery Premier League," expressed AAI president Arjun Munda in a statement. "We are optimistic that their involvement will draw significant attention to the sport and ensure a high level of competition. This is expected to make the league an exciting venture for fans nationwide."

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