Dhiraj says World Cup Final gold will boost his Asian Games prospects and career

Recurve archer B. Dhiraj said on September 15, 2026 that his World Cup Final gold in Saltillo, Mexico would boost his prospects at the Asian Games and his career after winning the title.

Dhiraj, the second Indian to claim a gold in the event after Dola Banerjee’s feat in 2007, described the victory as a dream-come-true and noted that the tournament fields the top eight archers in the world.

Reflecting on travel and recovery, Dhiraj said: “It was a long haul, we travelled around 35 hours. There was fatigue. But after competing in so many events, the physios and support staff knew what I should do during travel so that I could recover faster. It took a day or two, but I recovered well.”

On competition conditions he said: “The venue was a little unusual. It was windy and we could not judge from which side the wind was coming. But we trained for that in India. I took it as a challenge and fought well.”

Outlining his technical focus, Dhiraj added: “I have been doing certain things consistently for the last two years. Some days they work, some days they don’t. There have been small improvements. I will keep doing the same things and add new things after consulting the coaches.”

Addressing the psychological impact of the win, he said: “We get confidence when we do well on a big stage. When you train in a certain way and execute it in pressure situations, it feels nice. Good to see my dreams coming true and it motivates me to dream more, work harder and help keep the Indian flag flying high,” he added.

“Archers dream of qualifying for the tournament, in which the top eight archers in the world compete. Winning the title is even more special. This is a boost not just for the Asian Games, but for my career,” Dhiraj told The Hindu after reaching Japan from Mexico and joining India’s Asian Games preparatory camp in Kurobe on Tuesday, having covered nearly 25,000 km across the globe in six days.