Archery World Cup 2023 stage 3: Jyothi Surekha to lead 16 member contingent in Colombia

Medellin [Colombia], June 13 : World championships silver medallist Jyothi Surekha Vennam will spearhead the Indian challenge at the Archery World Cup 2023 stage 3 starting from Tuesday in Medellin, Colombia.

According to Olympics.com, India's archery contingent includes 16 members - eight men and eight women. Veteran Olympian Tarundeep Rai is set to participate in the event, however, Atanu Das will miss the competition.

Based on the selection trials for the stage 3 World Cup that were held in Sonepat in May, Tushar Shelke and Mrinal Chauhan have taken Atanu Das' and Neeraj Chauhan's places, respectively, for the Medellin meet.

In the men's recurve, Dhiraj Bommadevara will be the one to watch. The 21-year-old won a silver and a bronze in the men's recurve team and individual events, respectively, in the first leg in Antalya, Turkey.

In compound archery, Jyothi Surekha Vennam will lead to win medals. The 26-year-old Jyothi Surekha Vennam combined with Ojas Pravin Deotale to win the compound mixed team gold medal in both the previous archery World Cup legs this year - the first in Antalya and the second in Shanghai.

In Antalya, Jyothi Surekha Vennam had also equaled the world record score (713 points from a maximum possible 720) in the women's compound qualification round en route to winning the individual gold medal.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Verma, a two-time individual World Cup gold medallist, will return to the Indian men's compound team after missing the first two stages. Verma will replace Rishabh Yadav. Prathamesh Jawkar, who won the individual gold medal in Shanghai, is also in the team.

Indian archers won four medals at the Antalya leg and three in the Shanghai leg.

Archers who win the individual events at Medellin will automatically qualify for the Archery World Cup final to be held in Hermosillo, Mexico in September.