Paris Olympics 2024: Who Is Bhajan Kaur? Meet India's Latest Recurve Archery Quota Winner

The 18-year-old Bhajan Kaur was a member of the Indian recurve team that bagged bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. She upstaged Iranian top seed Mobina Fallah in the gold medal match of the Final Olympic Qualifier in Antalya to seal the country's second archery quota

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 17 June 2024 12:56 pm

Bhajan Kaur Indian archer file photo, Instagram handle

File photo of Indian recurve archer Bhajan Kaur. Photo: Instagram/Bhajan Kaur

India's second Paris Olympics archery quota has been bagged by the 18-year-old Bhajan Kaur, who struck gold at the Final Olympic Qualifier in Antalya on Sunday (June 16). Dhiraj Bommadevara had earlier secured the men's individual quota from the Asian qualifying leg, and Kaur has clinched the country's first quota in women’s individual recurve archery. (More Sports News)

Kaur Bhajan takes GOLD and QUOTA ticket for India at the Final Olympic Qualifier. ????#ArcheryInParis pic.twitter.com/bjJjTxUvdl
— World Archery (@worldarchery) June 16, 2024

Kaur, who was seeded third at the event, was dominant in the run-up to and during the gold medal match, where she upstaged Iranian top seed Mobina Fallah 6-2 (28-26, 29-29, 29-26, 29-29). Kaur’s individual quota win implies that India will also compete in the mixed team event at Paris 2024, with Kaur partnering Bommadevara.

The teenager hails from Sirsa, Haryana. She was a member of the Indian recurve team that bagged a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. She reportedly began as a shot putter, while studying at Nachiketan Public School at Ellenabad.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam (third from right) won the compound women's, individual and mixed team gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai. - SAI Media

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“I tried shot put for about a year but there was little success and then I was selected during a trial at the Asian Games,” she had told PTI after the bronze medal feat at Asian Games in 2023.

“I’m in love with the sport now. The pressure situation brings out the best in me and I’m grateful to have seniors like Ankita (Bhakat) and Simranjeet (Kaur) guiding me all the way,” she added.