India's Archery Duo Claims Silver at Asian Games 2026

At the Asian Games 2026, India's Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara clinched a silver medal in the mixed recurve archery event after a close match against China's Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi. Despite a strong comeback in the later sets, the Indian duo fell short, missing out on Olympic qualification. Earlier, Kumkum also contributed to India's gold medal win in the women's team event, marking a significant achievement for Indian archery. This article delves into the thrilling matches and the implications for future competitions.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 2, 2026, 10:54 IST

Mixed Recurve Archery Team Event

In the mixed recurve archery team competition at the Asian Games 2026, India's Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara secured a silver medal after a 3-5 defeat against China's Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi in the final match on Friday. Earlier, the Indian team had triumphed over Japan with a score of 5-3 in the semifinals, but they struggled to find their rhythm in the initial sets of the final.

A Tense Gold-Medal Match

China took control right from the start, winning the first set 38-34, which gave them a 2-0 lead. Zhu scored two 10s, while Li contributed an 8 and a 10, establishing a solid early advantage. India faltered again in the second set, losing 35-37. Kumkum managed only two 8s, and Dhiraj scored a 9 and a 10, but it wasn't enough as China led 4-0.

In a crucial third set, India fought back. Kumkum began with an 8 but quickly followed up with a 10, while Dhiraj added a 10 and a 9, bringing India's total to 37. China needed 18 points from their last two arrows to clinch the gold, but after Zhu's 10, Li could only score a 7. India won the set 37-36, narrowing the gap to 2-4.

Final Arrow Decides the Match

The fourth set was intense, going down to the wire. India scored 37, with Kumkum hitting a 9 and a 10, while Dhiraj added two 9s. China required 19 points from their last two arrows to win. Zhu shot a 9, and Li delivered a 10, bringing China's total to 37, which tied the set and secured the gold medal for them with a final score of 5-3.

Olympic Qualification and Women's Team Success

This outcome meant that India missed the automatic qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics that was linked to the mixed team event, with China claiming that spot by winning gold. Despite this setback, the silver medal contributed to a successful day for India in recurve archery. Earlier, Kumkum, along with teammates Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma, defeated South Korea 5-3 in the women's recurve team final, marking India's first gold in this event at the Asian Games. This victory brought India's total gold count to 11 at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, while the mixed team's silver raised the overall medal tally to 68, comprising 11 gold, 24 silver, and 33 bronze, placing India seventh on the medal table at the time of reporting.

Kumkum Mohod's Remarkable Performance

At just 17 years old, Kumkum was instrumental in both the women's team gold and the mixed team silver, establishing herself as a standout performer in recurve archery at the Games.