BANGKOK, Mar 27 (V7N) – In a milestone achievement for the nation’s sports, the Bangladesh men’s compound archery team clinched the gold medal at the 2026 Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament (Stage-1) today. The Bangladeshi trio—Himu Bachhar, Aishwarzo Rahman, and Newaz Ahmed Rakib—delivered a clinical performance to defeat Vietnam 231–225 in a high-stakes final held in the Thai capital.

The Road to Gold

The team’s journey to the top of the podium was marked by consistent precision and mental toughness:

  • Quarter-finals: Bangladesh advanced after defeating Malaysia in a closely contested match.

  • Semi-finals: They secured a spot in the final by overcoming Bhutan with a score of 232–228.

  • Final: Facing a formidable Vietnamese side, the archers maintained an early lead (57-55 in the first set) and finished with a six-point margin to secure the title.

Mixed Results Across Categories

While the men's compound team celebrated a historic "maiden gold" for the discipline, other categories faced tougher challenges. Out of the 10 Bangladeshi archers participating in the tournament, several fell just short of the medal rounds:

  • Compound Women: The team (Banya Akhter, Kulsum Akhter, and Joma Akhter) narrowly missed the semi-finals, losing a heartbreakingly close quarter-final to Thailand by a single point (229–230).

  • Recurve Men: The recurve team exited in the quarter-finals following a 0–6 set loss to Kazakhstan.

  • Individual Events: Himu Bachhar came closest in the individual compound category but was eliminated in the quarter-finals by India’s Uday Kamboj with a score of 146–147.

A New Era for Bangladesh Archery

The victory is particularly significant as it signals a successful shift in focus for the Bangladesh Archery Federation. Historically dominant in the recurve division, the federation has recently invested heavily in developing talent for the compound category.

"This victory is an inspiration for our young generation," stated State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque in a congratulatory message. The gold-winning team is expected to return to Dhaka this Sunday, March 29.

END/SMA/AJ