One of the league’s defining features is its 15-second shot clock, which Kaufhold has described as a new challenge.
For D’Almeida, however, the time pressure feels far more familiar.
“Early in my career, my teammates would often take longer on their shots, and I’d be the one closing it out, usually with 15 seconds or less left on the clock,” he said.
“Early in my career, my teammates would often take longer on their shots, and I’d be the one closing it out, usually with 15 seconds or less left on the clock,” he said. “So this format actually feels pretty familiar to me.”
That familiarity could prove valuable in a format designed to add speed and pressure to elite archery, with every second becoming part of the contest.
D’Almeida will be part of a strong field that includes Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz of Türkiye, Mexico’s Olympic medallist Alejandra Valencia Trujillo and some of India’s biggest names.
Newly crowned Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion Dhiraj Bommadevara will headline the Indian contingent alongside Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das and Abhishek Verma, among others.
Yet D’Almeida does not have one particular opponent in mind.
“Honestly, we already compete against the top archers in the world quite often, so it’s not really about one name in particular,” he said. “For me, this is just another great opportunity to compete at a high level.”
