India appoints Dave Cousins as compound archery chief coach

India has appointed American archery legend Dave Cousins as chief coach for its compound archery programme ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Cousins is expected to join the national setup soon and will begin with the Stage 3 Archery World Cup assignment.

By Neelima

Kolkata: India has taken a significant step in its Olympic preparations by appointing American archery legend Dave Cousins as the chief coach for its compound archery programme. The multiple-time former world champion is expected to join the national setup within the next two weeks, with his first major assignment being the Stage 3 Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, scheduled for next month.

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The appointment marks a major moment for Indian archery as the country gears up for the historic debut of compound archery at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The discipline will feature exclusively as a mixed team event at LA 2028, a long-awaited milestone for the global compound archery community.

At 49, Cousins brings an extraordinary competitive record to the role. His decorated career spans more than two decades on the world stage, during which he claimed multiple world championship titles and established himself as one of the most accomplished compound archers in the sport’s history. While this will be his first international coaching assignment, Cousins has gained considerable coaching experience by working with clubs and state teams across the United States.

The Archery Association of India (AAI) believes Cousins’ blend of elite-level experience and technical expertise aligns perfectly with its long-term vision for the programme. With a single mixed team gold on offer at LA 2028, India will need precision planning, world-class coaching and focused athlete development to remain competitive on the biggest stage.

Indian compound archers have shown steady improvement on the international circuit in recent years, and the arrival of a coach of Cousins’ stature is expected to considerably strengthen the programme’s technical and tactical edge. The countdown to Los Angeles has well and truly begun for Indian archery.