Kumkum Mohod returned to action following her golden run at the Asian Games, but Chero Archers suffered their first defeat of the Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2 after a dramatic shoot-off against Prithviraaj Yodhas on Saturday.
In the match of the day at Hyderabad’s People’s Plaza, the Yodhas prevailed after multiple rounds of sudden death, with Mexican recurve archer Matias Grande delivering the decisive shot to seal a 4-4 (1-0) victory.
Chero Archers fought back to force a tie after winning the fourth set. The first tie-breaker proved inconclusive, with all eight archers missing the inner yellow ring in the league’s hit-or-miss shoot-off format.
The contest then moved into sudden death, where archers from both sides took turns attempting to hit the target. Grande finally found the inner ring in the third sudden-death round, while Prithika Pradeep was unable to match his shot, handing the Yodhas the win.
Mohod, competing for the first time since her Asian Games gold-medal triumph, produced some impressive shots for Chero Archers. However, her team’s unbeaten run came to an end in a contest that went down to the final arrow.
“This is a very small target. A little bit of luck, it was a good shot. In the first season it was smaller, and this time, it is more achievable I think. We are happy with the win. Honestly, it is a very special feeling, but it is not who gets the arrow to win the match, it is a team win,” Grande said after the match.
Earlier in the day, Mighty Marathas registered their first win of the season with a 6-0 victory over Chola Chiefs. Compound archer Mike Schloesser lived up to his nickname, ‘Mr. Perfect’, shooting six 10s from six arrows, while India’s Dhiraj Bommadevara delivered under pressure to help seal the result.
The Marathas took the opening set 74-73 and built a 4-0 lead in the second, with Bommadevara producing a crucial 10 as the clock wound down. They then won the third set 74-72 to wrap up the match without dropping a set.
In the day’s final match, Kakatiya Knights defeated defending champions Rajputana Royals 6-2 to hand the Royals consecutive defeats. Asian Games recurve bronze medallist Neeraj Chauhan produced crucial X-ring 10s, while Jyothi Surekha Vennam also played a key role in the Knights’ comeback. Tokyo Olympic champion Mete Gazoz helped the Royals take the opening set, but the Knights won the next three to secure the match.
The second season of the Archery Premier League features six teams and 48 archers, including 36 Indians and 12 international competitors. The tournament will conclude on October 18, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals before the final.
Sunday’s fixtures will see Chero Archers take on local side Kakatiya Knights, Chola Chiefs face Prithviraaj Yodhas, and Mighty Marathas meet defending champions Rajputana Royals.
– Ends
