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Teenager Kumkum Mohod delivers historic golden double for India on Asian Games debut

3 October 2026

Nagoya (Japan)

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Seventeen-year-old. A debut Asian Games and two historic gold medals.

Kumkum Anil Mohod signed off India’s campaign at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in incredible fashion, becoming the first from the nation to win a recurve women’s individual gold medal and securing a quota place for the LA28 Olympic Games.

Her feat in the individual event came a day after she had joined Ankita Bhakat and Kirti to win India's first-ever recurve women’s team gold at the continental event, breaking Korea’s historic winning streak of seven consecutive team titles at the Asian Games.

The victories also meant Korea’s recurve women will return home gold-less for the first time in the 48-year history of archery at the continental Games.

Qualifying in ninth place, Mohod started the final day of competition with a surprise 6-4 victory over Korea’s top seed and Gwangju 2025 World Champion Kang Chaeyoung, before thumping China’s world number three Zhu Jingyi 6-2.

In the final, the world number 51 Indian edged Korea’s Oh Yejin 6-5 to win India’s first-ever recurve individual gold at the event, which was contested at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square over eight days.

Trailing 3-5 going into the final end, the Indian teenager needed a perfect round and she delivered when it mattered, with an incredible round of X, X and 10, while the Korean shot 9, 9 and 10 to force a shoot-off.

In the tie-breaker, Mohod continued her excellent run to shoot an X, while Yejin managed an eight, as the Indian prevailed 6-5.

A day earlier, the Indian recurve team had made history winning its first-ever women’s team gold defeating the the Korea's star trio of Kang Chaeyoung, Lee Yunji and Yejin 5-3.

“These are the results of a lot of hard work and effort that I put in over the last months.

“I am also grateful to the team and also to the Archery Association of India and the Sports Authority of India,” said Mohod after her twin gold medals in two days.

The Indian teenager also paired with Dhiraj Bommadevara, with whom she had won gold at the third stage of the World Cup, for the mixed team silver after they lost to China 5-3.

The gold meant the pair of Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi grabbed the two LA28 quota places for China in the recurve mixed team event.

In the men’s events, it was Korea who reigned supreme, with their men’s team retaining the title.

Lee Woo-seok emerged as Korea’s star, claiming the recurve men’s individual gold by defeating Japan’s Junya Nakanishi 6-2, after combining with the legendary Kim Woo-jin and Kim Je-Deok for the team title.

The Korean men defeated an Indian side comprising Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Neeraj Chauhan 5-1 for the nation's first gold in recurve events. Chauhan, meanwhile, earned the individual bronze after winning an all-Indian match.

Nakanishi, Woo-Seok and his compatriot Yejin also secured LA28 quota spots for Japan and Korea, after finishing in the top two of their respective recurve individual events.

India’s impressive campaign in both compound and recurve, which saw them win five gold medals and match Hangzhou 2022 record haul, underlined the nation’s depth and trust in its rigorous training regime and selection process as it prepares for the LA28 Olympic Games.