Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas Dominate Archery Premier League

Chero Archers and Yodhas Lead the Pack

In Hyderabad, Telangana, on October 11, Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas secured their third victories, establishing themselves at the top of the Archery Premier League (APL) standings. Meanwhile, the defending champions, Rajputana Royals, faced their third consecutive loss.

Chero Archers, driven by the impressive performance of Atanu Das, have emerged as the most consistent team this season. They kicked off the day with a decisive 6-0 win over the Kakatiya Knights. Following this, the Yodhas continued their winning streak by defeating the Chola Chiefs 6-2. The highlight of the day was a thrilling match where the Mighty Marathas triumphed over the Royals with a score of 5-3. Both Chero and Yodhas now sit at six points each after four matches, while the Chiefs and Royals languish at the bottom with only one win each, according to a press release.

The APL, the world's first franchise-based archery league, is organized by the Archery Association of India and features six teams comprising 48 archers, including 36 Indian talents and 12 elite international competitors. The league is being held at People's Plaza in Hyderabad and will conclude on October 18 with a grand finale showcasing the top four teams in the semifinals, followed by the championship match.

After a narrow defeat the previous day, Chero Archers made a strong comeback. Atanu Das was recognized as the best male recurve archer of the day, achieving an impressive average score of 9.67.

The Knights made a notable adjustment to their lineup, replacing Austrian compound star Nico Wiener with Shivshankar Landkar, who performed well alongside Jyothi Surekha Vennam. However, Chero's Atanu Das was in exceptional form, supported by a robust compound team led by world No. 1 Mathias Fullerton, who scored the highest in the match with 59 out of six arrows.

In the opening set, a low score of 6 by Casey Kaufhold did not hinder Chero Archers, as they achieved an impressive 69 out of 70 with their first seven arrows. The second set featured Atanu's remarkable arrow hitting the center of the target, allowing Chero to maintain a comfortable lead. The third set was intense, with both teams tied at 38-38 after four arrows each. The Knights felt the pressure to win this set to stay in contention. Atanu hit another 10, bringing the score to 67-67, and Kaufhold followed suit, sealing a high-quality set and securing a solid victory.

In the second match, 16-year-old recurve archer Gatha Khadake delivered crucial arrows under pressure for the Yodhas. Her 10 in the third set was pivotal, giving her team a narrow 77-76 lead. The Chiefs struggled with consistency despite their strategy of using compound archers consecutively.

In a nail-biting finish, the Royals started strong with compound archer Kushal Dalal, who was selected over Ojas Deotale, setting the pace, while Tokyo Olympics champion Mete Gazoz anchored the team with a crucial 10 under pressure.

The match evolved into a fierce contest between Gazoz and India's star recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara. Bommadevara found his rhythm in the second set, helping the Marathas recover. Simranjeet Kaur also improved from a slow start, and the Marathas gained momentum, with 'Mr. Perfect' Mike Schloesser performing well.

The teams split a competitive third set, leaving the match tied at 3-3. The final set came down to Gazoz and Bommadevara with less than 10 seconds remaining. While Bommadevara shot what seemed to be a costly 8, Gazoz managed only a 7, leading to a surprising victory for the Marathas.

On Monday, the competition resumes with Chero Archers facing the Mighty Marathas in a clash of two in-form teams. The second match will feature the defending champions Rajputana Royals against the Chola Chiefs, both eager to escape the bottom of the standings. The third match will see Prithviraaj Yodhas take on the local team, Kakatiya Knights.

Scores from Day 4 (October 11):

Match 1: Chero Archers 6-0 Kakatiya Knights

Match 2: Prithviraaj Yodhas 6-2 Chola Chiefs

Match 3: Mighty Marathas 5-3 Rajputana Royals

BEST ARCHERS OF THE DAY (Rs 1 lakh reward each):

Recurve male: Atanu Das (Archers)

Recurve female: Ankita Bhakat (Royals)

Compound male: Kushal Dalal (Royals)

Compound female: Ella Gibson (Royals).