AICHI-NAGOYA: Indian teenager archer Kumkum Mohod scripted history at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday, winning India’s first individual women’s recurve gold medal after edging South Korea’s Oh Yejin in a dramatic shoot-off.
The 17-year-old prevailed 6-5 after the final was tied at 5-5 following five sets. With the gold medal decided by a single arrow, Oh shot an 8 before Kumkum held her nerve to land a perfect 10 and seal the title, according to ESPN.
Kumkum’s victory made her the first Indian woman to win a medal in the individual recurve event at the Asian Games, and she went one step further by claiming gold. The final began with Oh taking the opening set 29-27 to move 2-0 ahead. The second set was tied 29-29, leaving the Korean with a 3-1 advantage.
Kumkum responded brilliantly in the third set, producing three successive 10s for a perfect 30 as Oh managed 29. The Indian levelled the contest at 3-3 before Oh regained the lead by taking the fourth set 28-27. Facing elimination heading into the fifth set, Kumkum delivered under pressure. She shot three 10s to finish with 30 while Oh scored 28, forcing a shoot-off at 5-5. Kumkum then produced the decisive arrow, hitting the 10-ring after Oh had managed only an 8.
The gold capped a remarkable campaign for Kumkum, who had already won the women’s recurve team gold and mixed team silver on Friday. She had teamed up with Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma to defeat South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final, securing India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the event. Later, she partnered Dhiraj Bommadevara to win silver in the mixed recurve team event after India lost 3-5 to China.
Kumkum’s individual campaign also included a 6-4 quarterfinal victory over South Korea’s world and Olympic champion Kang Chaeyoung before she defeated China’s world championship silver medallist Zhu Jingyi 6-2 in the semifinal. Her gold also adds to India’s only previous individual recurve medal at the Asian Games, Tarundeep Rai’s silver at the 2010 Guangzhou Games, while becoming the country’s first women’s individual recurve medal at the continental event.
With Kumkum’s individual gold medal, India’s medal tally has reached 77, including 17 gold, 25 silver and 35 bronze medals, at the time of writing.
(With inputs from ANI)
