Hyderabad: India’s Olympic medal dreams in archery have received a major boost as compound archery is officially set to make its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The sport, which Indian athletes have outperformed in recent years, will feature in the form of a mixed team event, joining the existing five recurve events already part of the Olympic archery program.
The decision has brought renewed energy and hope to Indian archers and fans alike, with many seeing it as a long-overdue recognition of the growing popularity and global competitiveness of compound archery.
“We waited for this day for a long time. This will definitely give a huge boost to our Olympic medal hopes,” said Abhishek Verma, India’s most accomplished compound archer, speaking from Florida after clinching a team bronze at the World Cup Stage 1.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 #𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬🥳
In a landmark decision, the International Olympic Committee has officially added Compound #Archery🏹 Mixed Team event to the Olympic programme at #LA2028 alongside five existing recurve events.
A giant… pic.twitter.com/JYsnd0zJVk
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) April 10, 2025
India’s recent performances have increased confidence. At the Shanghai World Cup, Indian archers bagged a record eight medals, their best-ever tally at a single World Cup edition. Notably, five of those medals, including four golds, came from the compound category.
With the sport’s inclusion in the Olympics and a proven record of excellence, India’s compound archers are poised to make history and possibly bring home the country’s first Olympic medal in archery.
