Asian games 2026: In the Asian Games being played in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the Indian team performed brilliantly from the beginning. In the semi-finals, India defeated China 5-1 to enter the final of the women’s recurve team event for the first time. Earlier, India’s best performance in the event was limited to a bronze medal.
In the gold medal match, the team of South Korea, considered to be the superpower of archery, was against India. Korea had won the women’s recurve team gold for seven consecutive Asian Games and was going for the eighth consecutive gold this time.
The first two sets were very exciting and both teams shared the points. Then in the third set, the Indian archers took the lead with a brilliant shot under pressure. The final set was also tied, but India won the match 5-3 on aggregate to take the gold medal.
The end of Korea’s long dominance
South Korea’s women’s recurve team has dominated the Asian Games for years. From 1998 to 2022, Korea won gold in this event for seven consecutive times. Korea’s long winning streak has come to an end with India’s win.
The win is also special for the Indian team as India had never before reached the final in the women’s recurve team event at the Asian Games. Now Kumkum Mohod, Keerti Sharma and Ankita Bhakt have written their name in the history of Indian archery by winning straight gold.
The success of the Indian archers is also considered significant ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as India beat South Korea, one of the world’s most successful recurve teams, on the big stage.