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66-year-old Kim Ok Geum takes W1 title at inaugural Hyundai World Archery Para Series event

4 April 2026

Bangkok, Thailand

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Korean W1 archer Kim Ok Geum took the W1 women’s title at the Hyundai Bangkok 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series event, the first circuit event under that banner.

Kim, the world number four and a Paralympic silver medallist, beat Swati Chaudhary – almost thirty years her junior – 7-3 with consistent and strong shooting against the Indian archer. She had thrashed another Indian, Anjum Tanwar, in straight sets in the semifinal.

Kim only began archery in her fifties, yet her willingness to work and compete at the very highest level has led her to multiple team and individual medals ever since her international debut in 2014, including a Paralympic mixed team silver team medal at Rio 2016. She placed fourth in the individual competition at Paris 2024, competing as one of the oldest Paralympians.

After spending much of her career in compound, she won a world championship gold in Gwangju in the W1 women’s doubles team event with Lee Eunhee, an event splashed widely across Korean media.

There was a shock in compound women, as reigning world champion and top seed Sheetal Devi was beaten by her teammate Payal Nag, 139-136, after Devi failed to hit the middle in the third and fourth ends.

Nag, a quadruple amputee, has an extraordinary back story to match Devi’s and was profiled by World Archery last month.

Devi and Nag had worked together as a team to win gold in the doubles final on Saturday, but here they faced off against each other for individual gold.

It is the 18-year-old Nag’s first international medal.

In W1 men, USA star and second seed Jason Tabansky was edged out by Ham Taejin of Korea, 6-4. It is the 34-year-old’s Korean’s first title at international level.

Reigning world champion, India’s Toman Kumar beat veteran Australian Jonathon Milne 146-142 in compound men, in a battle between the first and second seeds.

There was another gold for India in recurve women, as Bhawna beat the host nation’s Phattharaphon Pattawaeo 6-0 in a one-sided final. It’s the 21-year-old Bhawna’s first podium at international level.

However, Paralympic Champion Harvinder Singh had to settle for silver against Indonesia’s Kholidin in recurve men. Kholidin also won here this time last year at the Bangkok Para Asia Cup.

While India comfortably dominated the medal table, with two athletes grabbing maiden wins and winning all the team gold finals they contested, the level of China’s teams this year has yet to be seen; it is likely the two nations will be battling at the top of the medal table at the Asian Para Games in October.

The next stop on the Hyundai World Archery Para series is scheduled from 28 June to 4 July in Nove Mesto, Czechia.