With a clear mandate to dominate the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Archery Association of India (AAI) have announced an aggressive structural overhaul of the national coaching staff. Topping the marquee is the appointment of legendary American archer Dave Cousins as the head foreign coach for the Indian compound archery division.
Cousins, a 49-year-old former World No. 1 with 11 World Championship golds and nine World Cup Stage titles under his belt, has signed a long-term contract running through to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. He is set to join the intensive national camp at the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Sonepat. The strategic value of this appointment is massive; compound archery is slated to make its long-awaited Olympic debut at LA28. Cousins will pocket a monthly package of $12,000, bringing elite, cutting-edge Western technical training methods directly to India's frontline archers.
Host City 2026: The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (September 19 – October 20, 2026).
