The Indian women's recurve archery team secured a medal at the Shanghai World Cup after defeating South Korea to reach the team final, setting up a title clash against hosts China on Sunday.
Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod held their nerve in the semi-final, winning 5-1 against a Korean line-up led by world No. 1 Kang Chaeyoung.
India's route to the women's recurve team final in Shanghai featured steady progress through earlier rounds. The trio opened with a 6-2 win over Uzbekistan in the first round.
In a tighter quarter-final, India edged Vietnam 5-4, showing composure in the shoot-off. Those performances set up the semi-final against South Korea and confirmed growing belief within the Indian camp.
Indian women's recurve archery team at Shanghai World Cup
In the semi-final,
India started strongly and never allowed South Korea to settle. The first set went 58-55 to India, with four 10s on the board, while Korea dropped an 8. The second set was far closer, both sides recording an 8 and several 9s, sharing the points at 56-56. India then closed out the third set 58-56, again shooting four 10s against Korea's four 9s.
The South Korean women's recurve team in Shanghai combined high pedigree with relative inexperience. Kang Chaeyoung is the reigning individual world champion and part of Korea's Tokyo Olympics gold-winning squad. Lee Yunji, aged 24 and ranked 281, contested a first international outdoor event. Oh Yejin, 22, is ranked 361 and is the 2023 world youth champion, adding strong junior credentials.
From an Indian perspective, the identity of South Korea's trio added extra significance in Shanghai. The same three archers, Kang Chaeyoung, Lee Yunji and Oh Yejin, were selected last month to represent Korea at this year's Asian Games after national trials. Korea claimed women's team gold and India secured bronze in Hangzhou in 2023, so this World Cup result could influence confidence before the next continental contest.
Recent results showed that India's recurve archers had begun challenging South Korea more often across events. At the Asian Championships late last year, the Indian men's recurve team defeated Korea in the final to take gold. In the women's individual event there, Ankita Bhakat beat Paris Olympics silver medallist Nam Su-hyeon. At youth level, Indian archers have also produced wins against Korean opponents, suggesting a narrowing competitive gap.
For Kumkum Mohod, who is only 17 and competing in just a second senior World Cup, the Shanghai campaign carried particular weight. Sharing the shooting line with experienced names such as Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat offered exposure at a high-pressure event. The win over South Korea, secured with strong shooting in key sets, may become a reference point in Kumkum's early senior career.
Indian women's recurve archery team at Shanghai World Cup and men's result
While the Indian women's recurve team advanced to the Shanghai World Cup final, the men's side exited early. The trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai and Yashdeep Bhoge received a first-round bye but lost 6-2 to Bangladesh in the second round. That defeat contrasted sharply with the women's progress, highlighting different fortunes for India's recurve squads in Shanghai.
India will face China for the women's recurve team gold medal in Shanghai after overcoming Uzbekistan, Vietnam and South Korea. The semi-final win against the Korean squad named for the upcoming Asian Games provided a timely boost. Combined with recent successes against Korea in other events, the performance underlined India's growing presence in top-level recurve archery.
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