India’s women recurve team ends Korean dominance, wins gold

Mumbai: South Korea had been there and done that, seven times at that, as the women's team recurve gold medallists at the Asian Games since 1998.

India had never won it, as they were only two-time bronze medallists competing in their first final at the Asian Games.

You couldn't tell.

In an upset of epic proportions and a triumph of tremendous grit and calm, the Indian women's recurve team beat South Korea, the nearly untouchable powerhouses in the discipline, 5-3 in the final on Friday to win the gold medal.

Not only did India clinch a historic first title in the event, they knocked Korea, the seven-time defending champions, off their throne and ended a dominant run that began with the 1998 Bangkok edition.

Korea had Oh Yejin, Lee Yunji, Kang Chaeyoung. India had two teenagers making their Asian Games debut. Alongside Paris Olympian Ankita Bhakat was Kumkum Mohod, 17, and Kirti, 19.

The youngest of the lot was the most impressive and composed on the big day. Kumkum shot brilliantly as India breezed past China 5-1 in the semi-finals less than an hour earlier to enter the final of this event for the first time.

India had already made history. In the final against the most consistent finalists ever, however, they were about to make some more.

A gold for ages

Korea kicked things off with a 7, but typically picked up after that. India were ahead in that first set until a 7 from Kirti meant a 10 from Kumkum was needed to level the set. She did just that to make it 54-54.

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The same scenario repeated in the second set, despite a couple of 10s from Ankita, and another 10 from Kumkum. But with Korea shooting only 10s and 9s and Kirti sending down a couple of 8s, Kumkum had to step up again. She did just that to make it 56-56.

Two points each and two sets to go, India tweaked the order.

Kirti was asked to go first, and it worked. The teen shot a 10 – her first of the final – to set the tone for India in a set where the Koreans shot four 8s. And with Kumkum finding another 10, the set went India's way at 55-51.

Korea weren't going to go away easily. They shot 9s and 10s off the first three shots of the final set, while Indians had two 9s and an 8. A final that seemed headed for a shoot-off turned spectacularly when the Koreans did not find a 10 off the next three shots, and Kumkum (who else) found it off India’s last.