Asian Games 2026: Kumkum Mohod’s golden run gives India historic first individual women’s recurve gold

Indian archer Kumkum Anil Mohod scripted history at the Asian Games 2026 by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold medal, defeating South Korea’s Oh Yejin 6-5 in a dramatic shoot-off after their final ended level at 5-5.

The teenager held her nerve in the decisive shoot-off, with Oh scoring an 8 before Mohod responded with a perfect 10 to seal the gold medal.

Mohod had trailed 2-0 and 3-1 during the final before levelling the contest with a perfect 30 in the third set. She lost the fourth set but forced a shoot-off by producing three consecutive 10s in the fifth set.

The gold capped an impressive individual campaign for Mohod, who had earlier defeated South Korea’s world and Olympic champion Kang Chaeyoung 6-4 in the quarterfinal. She then beat China’s Zhu Jingyi 6-2 in the semifinal to book her place in the title clash.

Mohod’s victory marks the first individual recurve medal by an Indian woman at the Asian Games. It also adds to India’s only previous individual recurve medal at the continental event — Tarundeep Rai’s silver at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

The 2026 edition has also been a successful outing for Mohod in the team events. On Friday, she won the women’s recurve team gold alongside Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma, as India defeated South Korea 5-3. The victory gave India its first Asian Games medal in the women’s recurve team event.

Mohod also won a silver medal in the mixed team event with Dhiraj Bommadevara. The Indian pair lost 3-5 to China in the final.

With Mohod’s individual gold, India’s medal tally stood at 77 at the time of writing, comprising 17 gold, 25 silver and 35 bronze medals.

President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Mohod on her historic achievement and praised her performances across the Games.

“Warmest congratulations to Kumkum Anil Mohod on scripting history as the first Indian to win the Gold Medal in the Recurve Women’s Individual event at the Asian Games 2026,” Murmu said.

The President noted that Mohod had won two additional medals in team events and said her gold-medal performance contributed to India’s success in women’s archery at the Games.

“Your performance and achievements will inspire countless youth, especially our girls to excel in their pursuits. May you continue to hit the mark with your characteristic precision,” Murmu said.