Aichi-Nagoya:Indian archers have ended South Korea's longstanding dominance in recurve archery by clinching gold medals in both the women's team and individual recurve events at the 2026 Asian Games.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea had been a formidable force in recurve archery, consistently winning gold in the women's events since the sport's introduction at the Asian Games in 1978. However, this year, they faced a formidable challenge from India.
In the women's team recurve final, the South Korean team comprising Oh Ye-jin, Kang Chae-young, and Lee Yun-ji was defeated by India with a score of 5-3. The following day, in the women's individual final, Oh Ye-jin lost to India's Kumkum Anil Mohod in a dramatic shoot-off. Oh scored an 8, while Mohod secured victory with a perfect 10. Earlier, Kang Chae-young also lost to Mohod in the quarterfinals with a score of 6-4.
The South Korean athletes felt the weight of defending their team's historic gold medal streak, which affected their individual performances. Kang acknowledged the improvement in Indian archery, expressing that the team's loss was a significant shock.
Oh Ye-jin, reflecting on her performance, noted the lessons learned from the defeats and expressed determination to help South Korea reclaim its top position in future competitions. Despite the setback, she remains optimistic about their prospects, emphasizing her commitment to growth and resilience.