India secured gold in the recurve mixed team event at the Archery World Cup in Antalya after Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Mohod defeated Olympic champions South Korea in a tense final. The Indian pair held their nerve in a closely contested clash against Oh Yejin and Kim Je Deok, with both sides exchanging tight scores across sets before India edged ahead at the decisive moments.
The contest ended 5-1 in India’s favour, with set scores reading 37-36, 37-36 and 39-39, reflecting how closely the teams were matched despite the final outcome. Dhiraj and Kumkum maintained consistency from the opening arrows, repeatedly holding narrow advantages in the early sets. The decisive edge came in execution under pressure, with the Indian combination limiting errors against one of the most accomplished teams in international archery.
A key moment arrived in the closing stages when Dhiraj delivered back-to-back perfect 10s with his final arrows, effectively sealing India’s dominance in the encounter and ensuring the gold medal finish.
First World Cup gold for mixed team
The victory represents the first World Cup gold medal in the mixed team event for both archers. For Dhiraj, who is currently India’s top-ranked archer, the result adds to his growing presence on the international circuit, with attention now shifting to his participation in the individual semifinals, where he remains in contention for another medal.
For Kumkum, the triumph continues a rapid rise in international competition. The 17-year-old had already experienced success earlier in the season at the Shanghai World Cup Stage 2, where she was part of India’s women’s recurve team that won gold.
"I believed in myself completely. I just focused on the process and didn't think about who was standing in front of me. I think I shot better today than I did in Shanghai. But definitely that gold medal there gave me a lot of confidence," Kumkum said after the match.
India’s latest win also carries historical relevance for the event in Antalya. The country’s previous recurve mixed team gold at a World Cup stage came in 2022 at the same venue, when Ridhi Phor and Tarundeep Rai defeated Great Britain’s Bryony Pitman and Alex Wise in a shoot-off.
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