Neeraj Chauhan Clinches Bronze in Archery at Asian Games

Neeraj Chauhan secured a bronze medal in the men's individual recurve archery event at the Asian Games, defeating compatriot Dhiraj Bommadevara in a nail-biting match. The contest saw Neeraj overcoming an early setback to clinch victory with a perfect score in the final set. Earlier, Kumkum Mohod made history by winning gold in the women's individual recurve event, marking a successful day for India's archery team. Overall, India concluded the archery events with nine medals, including five golds, further boosting their medal tally at the Games.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 3, 2026, 12:48 IST

Neeraj Chauhan's Bronze Medal Victory

On Saturday, Neeraj Chauhan secured a bronze medal in the men's individual recurve archery event, triumphing over fellow Indian Dhiraj Bommadevara in a thrilling match at the Asian Games. Neeraj showcased remarkable composure, ultimately winning 6-4 after initially trailing in the contest. He clinched the medal with a perfect score of 10 in the final set, as reported by ESPN.

Match Breakdown by Sets

1. **First Set**: Dhiraj started strong with scores of 7, 9, and 10, while Neeraj responded with 10, 9, and 10, winning the set 29-26 and taking a 2-0 lead.

2. **Second Set**: Dhiraj fought back, scoring 8, 10, and 10 for a total of 28. Neeraj's scores of 10, 8, and 9 totaled 27, leveling the match at 2-2.

3. **Third Set**: Dhiraj took the lead with scores of 10, 9, and 10, while Neeraj scored 10, 9, and 9, resulting in a 29-28 win for Dhiraj, putting him ahead 4-2.

4. **Fourth Set**: Neeraj made a strong comeback, scoring three 10s for a total of 30, while Dhiraj scored 9, 9, and 9. This set ended 30-27, tying the match at 4-4.

5. **Final Set**: Dhiraj opened with an 8 but recovered with two 10s, finishing with 28. Neeraj responded with scores of 10, 9, and 10, totaling 29 to secure the bronze.

Path to the Bronze Medal Match

Dhiraj reached the bronze medal match after a semifinal loss to South Korea's Lee Wooseok, with a score of 3-7. Neeraj, on the other hand, was defeated 1-7 by Japan's Junya Nakanishi.

Kumkum Mohod's Historic Achievement

Earlier in the day, Kumkum Mohod made history by winning the women's individual recurve gold medal. The 17-year-old triumphed over South Korea's Oh Yejin in a shoot-off after the match ended in a tie at 5-5. Kumkum's decisive shot of 10 followed Oh's score of 8, marking her as the first Indian woman to earn an individual recurve medal at the Asian Games.

Additionally, Kumkum had already secured a gold medal in the women's recurve team event alongside teammates Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma, and a silver in the mixed recurve team event with Dhiraj.

India's Archery Success at the Asian Games

India's archery team concluded their campaign at the Asian Games with an impressive total of nine medals: five gold, two silver, and two bronze across both recurve and compound events.

With Neeraj's bronze medal, India's overall medal tally reached 80, comprising 18 gold, 26 silver, and 36 bronze.