National Games 2025 Archery: World Cup winner Abhishek Verma breaks national record; equals world record as well

Indian archer Abhishek Verma etched his name in history at the National Games 2025 by setting a new national record in the men’s individual compound event. Competing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun, the veteran archer shot an incredible 718 out of 720 in the qualifying round, surpassing the previous national record.

His remarkable performance also equaled the world record, although it will not be officially recognized as World Archery does not acknowledge domestic performances. The world record in the men’s individual 50-metre round currently belongs to the Netherlands' Mike Schloesser.

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Who is Abhishek Verma?

Born on June 26, 1989, the 35-year-old Abhishek Verma has been a pillar of Indian archery for over a decade. Competing in the compound category, Verma has consistently delivered on the international stage, winning multiple medals across World Championships, Asian Championships, and the prestigious Archery World Cup.

Verma first made waves in 2013, debuting in senior international archery with gold medals in the team and mixed team events at the Asian Archery Championships. Since then, he has amassed an astonishing 13 medals at the continental level, including an individual gold medal in 2017.

His Asian Games journey has been equally impressive. At the 2014 edition, he clinched team gold and an individual silver, while in 2018, he secured a team silver medal. He further strengthened his legacy at the 2023 Asian Games, where he led India to a team gold and won his second individual silver medal.

Abhishek Verma’s biggest achievement on the world stage came at the 2021 World Archery Championships, where he, alongside long-time mixed team partner Jyothi Surekha Vennam, bagged a silver medal in the USA. The duo followed it up with a bronze at the 2022 World Games, also held in the USA.

The Delhi-born archer made history in 2015 when he clinched his first Archery World Cup gold medal in the individual event at the Wroclaw stage. Over the years, he has added 10 Archery World Cup titles to his name and secured three medals at the World Cup Finals, including an individual silver in 2015 and a mixed team silver and individual bronze in 2018.