Aichi-Nagoya, Japan: India scripted history at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday as Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve archery gold medal match.
The victory secured India’s first-ever medal in the women’s recurve team event at the Asian Games and delivered a stunning upset against a South Korean side that has traditionally dominated the discipline.
Seventeen-year-old Kumkum emerged as the star of the final, producing crucial 10s at decisive moments to help India hold their nerve and secure the gold.
India Hold South Korea To 5-3 Victory
India started strongly, matching South Korea’s 54 points in the opening set. Ankita opened with a 9, Kirti scored 7 and Kumkum delivered a 10 under pressure to force a 1-1 split.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with both teams scoring 56. Ankita hit two 10s, while Kumkum again produced a 10 with her final arrow to keep India level at 2-2.
The decisive shift came in the third set.
Kirti began with a 10, followed by a 9 from Ankita and another 9 from Kumkum. South Korea then struggled in its second rotation, with all three archers recording 8s.
India finished the set 55-51 to take a 4-2 lead.
Kumkum Mohod Delivers Under Pressure
With the gold medal within reach, South Korea responded in the fourth set and built a two-point advantage after the opening rotation.
India needed to match South Korea’s 54 to tie the set and secure the championship.
Kirti scored a 9 and Ankita followed with another 9, leaving Kumkum needing a perfect 10.
The 17-year-old delivered once again.
Her final 10 gave India the required 28 points in the second rotation, tying the set and handing India a 5-3 victory.
India Defeat China In Semifinal
Earlier on Friday, India defeated China 5-1 in the semifinal to book their place in the gold medal match.
The final against South Korea represented India’s first appearance in the women’s recurve team final at the Asian Games.
South Korea entered the contest as the traditionally dominant force in the discipline, with three of its archers ranked inside the top four following qualification. India’s three finalists had finished 10th, 20th and 25th respectively.
India’s Asian Games Medal Tally
The archery gold is India’s 11th gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and takes the country’s overall medal tally to 67, comprising 11 gold, 23 silver and 33 bronze medals at the time of writing.
India are seventh on the medal table.
The country’s recurve archers will have two more opportunities to add to the tally on Friday.
Kumkum and Dhiraj Bommadevara are scheduled to compete in the mixed team semifinal against Japan, while Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge will face Iran in the men’s team semifinal.
The mixed recurve team event also carries significance for the LA 2028 Olympics, with the winning National Olympic Committee set to earn one men’s and one women’s quota place.
