Nagoya: India created history at the Asian Games 2026 as its women’s recurve archery team defeated 10-time Olympic champions South Korea 5-3 to win the country’s maiden Asian Games gold medal in the event on Friday.
The Indian trio of Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod produced a composed performance in windy conditions at the archery venue in Nagoya to overcome the formidable South Korean team featuring reigning world champion Kang Chaeyoung, Oh Yejin and Lee Yunji.
The victory marks a significant achievement for Indian archery, with the team beating a South Korean side that has dominated women’s recurve archery at the Olympic level for decades.
India hold nerve in closely fought final
The gold medal contest began with both teams sharing the opening two sets.
India and South Korea finished the first set with identical scores of 54 pointssplitting the set points. The second set was equally close, with both teams recording 56 points.
With the score level, India needed to produce a decisive performance in the third set.
The Indian archers delivered exactly that. South Korea struggled with its shooting and hit three consecutive 8s, finishing the set with 52 points. India capitalised on the opportunity and registered 55 points to take the set.
That gave India a 4-2 advantage heading into the fourth set and put the team within one set point of the gold medal.
Kirti’s crucial shot seals historic gold
The fourth set again went down to the wire.
South Korea managed 54 points, leaving India with a target that required composure under considerable pressure.
Kirti Sharma initially appeared to have shot an 8, but the arrow was decisively judged as a 9taking India’s score to 54. The set was therefore tied, which was enough for India to secure the required set point and complete a 5-3 victory.
The result handed Ankita, Kirti and Kumkum a historic Asian Games gold and ended South Korea’s hopes of another title in the women’s recurve team event.
India defeat China in semi-final
India’s gold medal run began with an impressive semi-final victory over China.
The Indian team defeated China 5-1 to reach the final, securing its first-ever appearance in an Asian Games women’s recurve team final.
The result set up a showdown against South Korea, the most successful nation in Olympic women’s recurve team competition.
India had therefore entered the final knowing that it would have to overcome one of the strongest teams in the discipline to claim the gold medal.
South Korea’s remarkable Olympic record
The magnitude of India’s achievement was underlined by South Korea’s record in women’s recurve archery.
South Korea are 10-time Olympic champions in the event and also won the women’s recurve team gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
At Paris, India finished fourth in the women’s recurve team event. The Indian trio’s victory in Nagoya therefore represents a notable turnaround against the reigning Olympic champions.
South Korea’s final line-up included world champion Kang Chaeyoung, along with Oh Yejin and Lee Yunji. Despite their experience and pedigree, the Korean archers were unable to match India’s consistency during the decisive third and fourth sets.
First Asian Games gold for Indian women’s recurve team
The triumph is India’s first Asian Games gold medal in the women’s recurve team event.
Indian archery had already produced strong performances at the continental Games, but the women’s recurve team had never previously stood on top of the Asian Games podium.
The Indian women’s compound team won a bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhoubut the recurve team had to wait until the Aichi-Nagoya Games to claim its maiden gold.
The victory also adds another gold medal to India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games, where the country is competing across a wide range of sports.
India’s medal tally reaches 67
Following the archery triumph, India’s medal tally stood at 67 medalscomprising 11 gold, 23 silver and 33 bronze medalsaccording to the latest tally published by NDTV Sports.
India was placed seventh in the medal standings at that point. China led the table with 155 gold, 71 silver and 64 bronze medals, while Japan and South Korea occupied the next two positions.
The women’s recurve archery gold is particularly significant because it came against South Korea, a nation that has traditionally set the benchmark in the discipline.
For Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod, the victory represents the culmination of a successful campaign that began with qualification and progressed through the knockout stages before the decisive win over the Olympic champions.