World Cup Final win in Saltillo will boost B. Dhiraj’s confidence for Asian Games, says Dola Banerjee

Dola Banerjee said B. Dhiraj's victory in the recurve men's final at the Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo, Mexico on Sunday, September 13, 2026, will give him confidence ahead of the upcoming Asian Games. Dhiraj claimed the World Cup Final recurve men's title in Saltillo.

Dola Banerjee, who was the first Indian to win a gold at the Archery World Cup Final in 2007, welcomed Dhiraj into that exclusive circle. “I saw his matches late in the night and liked the way he shot confidently. He was solid in (the three) one-on-one matches and held his nerve to shoot a 10 in the crucial tie-breaker in the final,” Dola told The Hindu. “It has been 19 years since I won the WCF gold. It feels as if it happened recently.”

Dola highlighted the opponents Dhiraj defeated en route to the title, noting the scores against three experienced archers. Dhiraj beat Turkey’s Berkim Tumer 7-1, France’s Jean-Charles Valladont 7-1 and Japan’s Nakanishi Junya 6-5 (shoot-off: 10-9) on his way to claim the title.

On Dhiraj’s shooting, Dola emphasised the importance of consistency. “Dhiraj consistently shot only 10s and 9s. That’s what is needed to win medals in big stages. He will carry this confidence to the Asian Games,” said Dola.

Dola also discussed India’s broader prospects at the Asian Games and praised the balance in the squad. “Last time we won nine medals, this time we should match it. We should win more gold medals. In recurve, the competition will be tougher as archers from Korea and China will be there. We have a good mix of experience and youth,” said Dola, an executive council member of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Dola noted the scale of the Indian contingent and their preparations, saying around 350 out of nearly 500 athletes are young and it will be their first Asian Games. She added that the country’s archers have recently begun their final preparatory camp in Kurobe City, Japan, ahead of the Asian Games.