The Indian women’s recurve archery team claimed a historic gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating South Korea 5-3 in the final at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Ground, according to reports published by fr.laodong.vn. The victory marks India’s first-ever gold medal in the team event at the continental competition.
Historic Gold Secured in Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Final
The final match on October 2 brought together South Korea and an Indian lineup consisting of Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma, and 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod. Entering the tournament’s medal round, the Indian trio held lower qualification seedings than their opponents, with Ankita, Kumkum, and Kirti seeded 10th, 20th, and 25th respectively. Despite the ranking gap, the match remained tightly contested from the opening arrows.
Tight Sets and Pressure in the Gold Medal Match
The opening set ended in a 54-54 tie, and both teams split the points again in the second set after matching a total of 56 points. India seized momentum in the third set when the South Korean trio shot 8 points with their final three arrows. Kirti responded with an 8 for India, Ankita added a 9, and Kumkum secured a 10 to capture the third set 55-51, pulling India ahead 4-2.
Kumkum Mohod Delivers the Decisive Ten Under Pressure
South Korea rallied in the fourth set to test the Indian team, forcing a high-pressure conclusion. Kirti and Ankita both shot 9s on India’s final rotations. Needing a 10 on her final arrow to secure the match points and clinch the overall victory, 17-year-old Kumkum landed a 10. The resulting 54-54 fourth set gave India the single point required to seal the 5-3 match win.
Previous Indian Finishes at the Asian Games
Prior to the gold medal performance in Aichi-Nagoya, the Indian women’s recurve team had twice secured bronze medals at the Asian Games, finishing on the podium in both 2010 and 2022. The team had never previously advanced to the gold medal final in the event’s history.
Worth a look
