India’s women’s recurve team stunned 10-time Olympic champions South Korea to enter the final of the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai on Thursday.
The trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and teenager Kumkum Mohod defeated the traditionally dominant Korean side 5-1 in the semifinal to assure India of its first medal of the tournament.
India will now face China in the gold medal match on Sunday.
Indian women hold nerve in knockout run
The fourth-seeded Indian team produced a composed performance throughout the semifinal, opening with a strong 58-point set that immediately put Korea under pressure.
India maintained control in the second set before sealing the contest with another 58 in the third.
The victory came against a relatively inexperienced Korean lineup, though reigning world champion Kang Chaeyoung featured in the side.
Earlier in the day, India recovered from a slow start to beat Uzbekistan 6-2 in the opening round before edging past Vietnam in a tense quarterfinal shoot-off. The Indians clinched the decider 28-25 after delivering a near-flawless final set under pressure.
While the women impressed, India’s men’s recurve team endured a disappointing campaign. The trio of Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Yashdeep Bhoge suffered a 2-6 defeat against Bangladesh in the round of 16.
The women’s team result, however, ensured India remained firmly in medal contention heading into the final stages of the competition.
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