Indian women's recurve team scripted history by bagging a first Asian Games gold in the event at Okazaki, Japan on Friday.
India dethroned 10-time Olympic champions South Korea 5-3 in the gold-medal match. The team comprised seasoned campaigner Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod.
The Indians held their nerves in windy conditions to outwit the defending champions.
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Later, Kumkum gave herself a chance to land a second gold by entering the mixed recurve final with Dhiraj Bommadevara, after edging hosts Japan 5-3.
Kumkum and Dhiraj trailed 37-38, before gradually finding their rhythm to share the second before drawing level at 3-3.
A poor 7 from Japan proved decisive and the Indian pair took advantage, winning the fourth set 37-35 and seal India's first-ever Asian Games final berth in the recurve mixed team event.
The victory marked another milestone in the Indian women's team's recent rise, following their triumph at the World Cup in Shanghai in May, where they ended a five-year wait for gold. India had defeated Korea in the semifinals before going on to clinch the title.
The team retained much of the combination that won in Shanghai, with Kirti replacing former world number one Deepika Kumari, who missed out on the Asian Games after failing to qualify through the selection trials.
India had defeated China 5-1 in the semifinals to reach the women's recurve final for the first time at the Asian Games.
The gold medal marked India's fourth archery title at the Games, following victories in the men's compound, women's compound and mixed compound team events.
At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the Indian women's recurve team had finished with a bronze medal.




