bhaskarlive

Olympic champions, World No. 1s set to add global sheen as APL 2 gets underway

Digital Desk | Hyderabad, Oct 7 (IANS) Olympic champions, world No.1s and World Cup winners will headline the international contingent at the second season of the Archery Premier League (APL), with five established global stars set to bring their experience and high-pressure pedigree to Hyderabad. The foreign contingent features athletes who have won Olympic and World Championship medals, occupied the top spot in the world rankings, and produced landmark performances on the international circuit. Their presence will add another layer of quality to the leagues distinctive 15-second format while also putting them alongside Indias leading archers. Turkeys Olympic champion Mete Gazoz will return with defending champions Rajputana Royals. Gazoz created history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by becoming Turkeys first Olympic archery champion before adding a World Championship title in 2023. The 27-year-old has also enjoyed success on the World Cup circuit and previously reached the summit of the world rankings. His ability to handle pressure on the biggest stages makes him one of the key names in the Rajputana Royals title defence. Chola Chiefs, meanwhile, will have Brazilian star Marcus DAlmeida in their ranks. Regarded as Brazils most accomplished recurve archer, DAlmeida became the first Brazilian to reach world No.1 in the discipline in February 2023. DAlmeida has been a consistent presence at the top level for more than a decade. He is a three-time World Championships medallist, with silver medals in 2021 and 2025 and bronze in 2023, while his 2023 season also included victory at the World Cup Final in Hermosillo. A three-time Olympian, he was named World Archerys Best Archer of 2023. The Mighty Marathas will field one of the biggest names in compound archery, Dutchman Mike Schloesser. Nicknamed Mister Perfect, Schloesser became the first man to shoot a perfect 600 in compound archery and has also been a former world No.1 and World Champion. A multiple World Cup Final winner, Schloessers reputation for precision and consistency could make him particularly suited to the APLs rapid-fire format. He will compete alongside Indias Dhiraj Bommadevara. The Rajputana Royals will also have Britains Ella Gibson, the current World No.1 in womens compound archery. Gibson has established herself as one of the leading figures in the discipline, collecting multiple World Cup stage gold medals as well as a World Cup Final title. Her record also includes a world record for the 15-arrow match, while her aggressive and quick shooting style could prove valuable in the leagues 15-second format. Gibson will be part of the Rajputana Royals bid to retain the championship. Rounding off the international line-up is Mexican recurve star Alejandra Valencia, who will join the Mighty Marathas. A veteran of three Olympic Games, Valencia is a two-time Olympic bronze medallist, having won mixed team bronze at Tokyo 2020 and womens team bronze at Paris 2024. She has also claimed a World Championships silver medal and brings extensive experience from the highest level of international competition. With Gazoz, DAlmeida, Schloesser, Gibson and Valencia bringing Olympic, World Championship and World Cup credentials to the competition, APL Season 2 is set to feature a strong blend of international experience and Indian talent. The presence of the five foreign stars also adds an intriguing dimension to the leagues accelerated format, where archers have only 15 seconds to execute their shots - a setting that will test not only precision, but composure and decision-making under extreme time pressure.