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.
