India’s Women’s Recurve Team Wins Gold in Thrilling Finale
In an exciting showdown this past Sunday, India’s women’s recurve archery team staged an impressive comeback to claim the gold medal at Stage 2 of the Archery World Cup held in Shanghai. The talented trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and the promising young talent Kumkum Mohod triumphed over the host nation, China, in a nail-biting shoot-off, winning 5-4 after a tied final that finished 4-4.
This victory is particularly special for the Indian team as it follows their remarkable win over South Korea, a powerhouse in archery with an impressive record of 10 Olympic gold medals, in the semifinals. This marks India’s first women’s recurve team title at a World Cup since 2021.
Deepika Kumari, a seasoned athlete with several accolades, further solidified her legacy by earning her seventh World Cup team gold. Notably, this win breaks a three-year dry spell for the Indian women’s recurve team, as their last podium finish was in Paris in 2021.
India had already kicked off their medal count in Shanghai positively, with compound archer Sahil Jadhav securing a bronze medal the day before. Simranjeet Kaur also made headlines by reaching the recurve semifinals, inching closer to her first individual World Cup podium finish.
Deepika Leads the Charge
Despite not having a permanent national coach because of ongoing uncertainties regarding appointments, India’s women’s team heavily leaned on Deepika’s leadership. While the designated coach, Prafull Dange, largely observed from the sidelines, Deepika consistently motivated and guided her teammates through tense moments against a supportive Chinese crowd.
China’s lineup included younger archers like Zhu Jingyi, Huang Yuwei, and the teenage talent Yu Qi, who are all relatively new to the World Cup setting. India kicked off strong, narrowly winning the first set 54-53, with Deepika contributing remarkable scores.
However, the second set saw a shift in momentum. Though India held an early lead, China finished impressively, leveling the match at 2-2 after Deepika’s last arrow landed in the 7-ring.
The third set saw China take a slight advantage, winning 57-56 after a successful review upgraded one of their arrows, putting them ahead 4-2 overall.
In the fourth set, India was down but not out. Deepika regained her scoring touch with two 10s, yet Kumkum’s final effort landed in the 7-ring. China looked poised for victory, needing just a 9 from Yu Qi’s final arrow. However, under immense pressure, she could only manage an 8, which sent the match into a shoot-off.
In the decisive moment, India rose to the occasion. Ankita opened with a steady 9, Kumkum followed with an impressive 10, and Deepika secured the gold with another calm 9, completing a fantastic comeback.
This victory not only brings joy to the Indian team but also showcases their resilience and spirit on the world stage.
