Asian Games heroes reunite as APL Season 2 opens in Hyderabad

Indian and international archers pose with the Archery Premier League mascot at the pre-season press conference. | Photo Credit: Archery Premier League

When the dust settled at the Asian Games, one sport stood taller than the rest. Archery hit the bullseye, hauling in nine medals (five gold, two silver and two bronze) and, for good measure, bringing the mighty South Koreans down a peg or two.

Then came the encore. Two quotas for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 were secured, courtesy of Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav in the Mixed Team Compound, and Kumkum Mohod in the Women’s Individual Recurve.

The country’s finest archers have assembled once again, this time in Hyderabad to team up with international rivals and compete against their compatriots in the second season of the Archery Premier League (APL).

Chikitha, whose twin gold caught the nation’s attention in Aichi-Nagoya, credited APL for helping refine her game.

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“During the first season, I learnt a lot about managing pressure under the faster shot clock as well as techniques from my teammates while watching them train. It helped a lot in me getting better as an archer and played a part in winning gold at the Asian Games,” she said at the pre-season press conference.

Interest in the league has only grown since the inaugural campaign in New Delhi, according to APL director Anil Kamineni. He revealed plans to add more teams in the future and announced that the APL caravan will pitch its tent in a new city every year.

A rematch of last season’s title clash between Rajputana Royals, the defending champion, and Prithviraaj Yodhas will get this edition underway at the People’s Plaza on Thursday.

ARCHERY PREMIER LEAGUE - SQUADS FOR SEASON 2

KAKATIYA KNIGHTS: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Rohit Kumar, Avneet Kaur, Shivshankar Sakharam Landkar, Neeraj Chauhan, Ridhi, Nico Wiener (Austria) and Elia Canales (Spain).

PRITHVIRAJ YODHAS: Abhishek Verma, Gatha Anandrao Khadake, Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam, Raj Kaur, Juyel Sarkar and Kirti Sharma, Matias Grande (Mexico) and Andrea Maya Becerra Arizaga (Mexico). 

RAJPUTANA ROYALS: Ojas Pravin Deotale, Kushal Dalal, Swati Dudhwal, Abhyuday Amol Pakhale, Ankita Bhakat, Sangeeta, Ella Gibson (Great Britain) and Mete Gazoz (Turkiye).

CHERO ARCHERS: Atanu Das, Kumkum Anil Mohod, Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Prithika Pradeep, Jasveer Kaur, Yashdeep Bhoge, Mathias Fullerton (Denmark) and Casey Kaufhold (USA).

MIGHTY MARATHAS: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Aman Saini, Parneet Kaur, Madhura Dhamangaonkar, Mrinal Chauhan, Simranjeet Kaur, Mike Schloesser (Netherlands) and Alejandra Valencia Trujillo (Mexico).

CHOLA CHIEFS: Chikitha Taniparthi, Rishabh Yadav, Rajat Chauhan, Pawan, Deepika Kumari, Yuktha Sri Kondapavuluri, Alejandra Usquiano (Colombia) and Marcus D’Almeida (Brazil).