India win women's recurve gold and mixed recurve silver at Asian Games in Nagoya
India's women's recurve team of Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma defeated South Korea to claim the Asian Games 2026 gold in Nagoya on Friday, October 2, 2026, while Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara took the mixed recurve silver.
Facing challenging windy conditions, seasoned campaigner Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod held their nerve to outshoot the defending champions and secure a maiden Asian Games gold in the women's recurve event.
The final unfolded over four sets. The opening two sets were tied at 54 and 56; Korea—fielding Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Kang Chaeyoung alongside Oh Yejin and Lee Yunji—then scored 52 in the third set after three consecutive 8s, while India shot 55 to move 4-2 ahead. Korea posted 54 in the fourth set, but Kirti began with an 8 that was upgraded to a 9 after review, taking India's score to 54 and enough to win the set and the match.
"We are feeling really good right now, winning gold. This medal is not only for us but our country too, which makes it even sweeter," Kirti said. "Going into the final we were aware that we would have to perform at our very best. We were not talking about whether it is against China or Korea, or anything like that. We were just focusing on our aim and what we have to do. And we have done that, so we are very happy."
India had earlier beaten China 5-1 in the semifinal to reach their first Asian Games final in the women's recurve event. The women's recurve gold was India's fourth in archery at these Games, following titles for the men's compound, women's compound and mixed compound teams; the Indian women's recurve team had taken bronze at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Kumkum returned to the range with Dhiraj Bommadevara to contest the mixed recurve final, where the Indian pair lost 3-5 (34-38, 35-37, 37-36, 37-37) to China. Kumkum managed one 10 while a string of 8s and a 7 allowed China's Mengqi Li, who shot five 10s, to make the difference. Kumkum and Dhiraj had advanced to the final by edging Japan 5-3 after dropping the opening set 37-38, sharing the second, taking the third to draw level at 3-3, and then winning the fourth 37-35 after Japan shot a 7; Kumkum finished the day with two medals.
The women's triumph capped an upward curve for the Indian recurve squad, which had ended a five-year wait for a World Cup gold in Shanghai in May by defeating Korea in the semifinals en route to the title; it was largely the same combination that triumphed in Shanghai, with Kirti replacing former world number one Deepika Kumari, who failed to qualify for the Asian Games through the selection trials.
