An emotional Simranjeet Kaur proved to be India\u2019s unlikely hero on Friday as she booked a place in the recurve women\u2019s final four at the second stage of the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kaur doubled Fong You Jhu\u2019s 10 count of two in the quarterfinal, posting end scores of 27, 28 and 29 to sweep aside her Chinese Taipei opponent in straight sets at Yuanshen Sports Centre, where the wind proved less influential than earlier in the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will be the first World Cup final stage appearance of her career and the emotion was immediate once the result was confirmed, with Kaur wiping away tears before quickly calling her father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI just called my dad after the match and I cried because it actually is a big deal for me and it was long-awaited,\u201d said the 27-year-old. \u201cI feel like this is the best thing which can ever happen to an archer who is preparing for each and every World Cup, the bigger events and all the competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kaur explained that throughout the day she repeatedly reminded herself to \u201cdetach and shoot\u201d in an effort to remove pressure and expectation from each arrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think 1000 times today I told myself to detach and shoot,\u201d she said. \u201cDetach from the result, detach from the emotions and everything else \u2013 just shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrom match one and arrow one, I kept telling myself to detach and shoot because when you become too attached to the result or where the arrow is going to land, it becomes very difficult,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve lost many more times when I was too attached before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mental composure is one of the defining challenges at elite events such as the World Cup circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The technical work is established long before competition begins, but the ability to manage pressure in high-stakes situations is something that can only truly be developed through competition itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Kaur, that challenge is intensified further by the demands of India\u2019s selection system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The country is known for one of the most competitive national trial structures in world archery, with multiple selection events held each year to maintain depth across every major international squad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That depth was evident again in Shanghai. Kaur actually finished fourth among India\u2019s recurve women in qualification behind Ankita Bhakat (10th), Kumkum Anil Mohod (11th) and veteran Deepika Kumari (14th).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Baghdad 2024 Asia Cup silver medallist seeded 15th overall and therefore will not feature in India\u2019s recurve women\u2019s team gold medal match against China, although all four athletes could still leave Shanghai with medals on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are very long trials in India and we have to shoot very consistently again and again to be in the team,\u201d said Kaur. \u201cThe funny thing is, after going back from Shanghai, we have Asian Games trials but I feel like the trials are a bit different from the World Cup here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you lose one match, it\u2019s finished here, but in the trials you get chances to show consistency and arrow average, so both of them are actually very different things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An individual World Cup medal would nevertheless strengthen Kaur\u2019s case ahead of another fiercely contested Asian Games selection process later this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Korea\u2019s absence from the recurve men\u2019s final four proved almost as surprising as Kaur\u2019s breakthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Berkim Tumer and Mete Gazoz eliminated Seo Mingi and Kim Woo-jin respectively via shoot-offs, meaning T\u00fcrkiye could still claim up to five gold medals across compound and recurve competition in Shanghai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Martin Damsbo ended a 10-year wait for an individual World Cup medal match by reaching the compound men final four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Paris 2013 Archery World Cup Final Champion \u2013 who has represented Denmark every year on the international circuit since the opening season in 2006 \u2013 was one of three shoot-off winners in the compound men\u2019s quarterfinals, with Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Nicolas Girard and Sebastian Garcia Flores progressing to Saturday\u2019s stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
France\u2019s Girard was the only archer to advance without a shoot-off, defeating Bangladesh\u2019s Aishwarzo Rahman 147-145 after five ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damsbo and India\u2019s Kushal Dalal could not be separated at 147 apiece after 15 arrows in an overcast Shanghai, mirroring each other\u2019s scores in three of the five ends. The Dane led after the second end before Dalal levelled the match in the fourth with a perfect 30 against Damsbo\u2019s 29.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a hard day to be old out there today, I think… I feel like it,\u201d joked the 40-year-old, whose 10 in the shoot-off landed closest to the centre spot. \u201cIt\u2019s great to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damsbo said Denmark\u2019s regular presence in team medal matches meant he never truly felt like he had disappeared from the elite level, but returning to an individual final four still carried special significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe level is just so high,\u201d he said. \u201cYears ago, if you shot well, you won. Now, you also need a little bit of luck to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damsbo admitted he was relieved his X-liner in the shoot-off proved enough to advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI shot a good arrow, and these days that\u2019s not always enough,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I was really happy to see it hold up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Damsbo, the result is one built on consistency over nearly two decades competing at the highest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is one of the few athletes still competing from the World Cup circuit\u2019s inaugural season, alongside India\u2019s recurve men\u2019s archer Tarundeep Rai, who also remains active on the international tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nearly two decades after Porec 2006, Damsbo continues competing at the highest level while balancing work, coaching and family life as the sport around him has evolved dramatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2012 European Championship silver medallist has witnessed compound archery\u2019s growth firsthand, right up to its inclusion at the LA28 Olympic Games, which has also brought increased funding to the Danish compound programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s wrong to say that you always go out to do your best and try to win, but I\u2019m also realistic about competing against full-time shooters, young guys, and the funding that\u2019s starting to kick in everywhere,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI work anywhere from 40 to 80 hours a week, depending, plus shooting, plus coaching, plus everything,\u201d he added when discussing his workload. \u201cI always just try to be the best that I can be and, like I said, take the luck that it gives me, because I know it\u2019s not an even field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are people here putting in way more than I\u2019m able to do. I would love to do it, and I used to do it, but just life. So it\u2019s really nice to still be teasing a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damsbo will now test himself further against a younger generation of archers as he faces Garcia Flores in Saturday\u2019s semifinal, with either Jadhav or Girard awaiting in the gold medal match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A victory would secure his first individual World Cup medal since bronze at Medellin 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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