India defeated China 5-1 in the women’s recurve team semifinal at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday to secure a place in the gold medal match against South Korea.
Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma combined to produce a composed performance, winning the three sets 53-51, 54-52 and 51-51.
India made a slow start in the opening set, trailing China 25-26 after the first rotation. The Indian trio responded strongly in the second rotation, scoring 28 points to take the set 53-51 and move 2-0 ahead.
India carried the momentum into the second set. Kirti opened with a 10, while Ankita and Kumkum followed with an eight and nine respectively. India maintained its two-point advantage to close the set 54-52, with Kumkum hitting a 10 with the final arrow to put India 4-0 ahead.
China mounted a fightback in the third set, with both teams level at 25 after the first rotation. India moved one point ahead after the second rotation, but China finished on 51 points.
Needing only a tied set to secure the match, India held its nerve and also finished on 51, drawing the set and sealing a 5-1 victory.
India will now face South Korea in the women’s recurve team final later on Friday.
The recurve events also carry significance for India’s qualification campaign for the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
India will have further opportunities in recurve archery on Friday. Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara will face Japan in the mixed team semifinal, while Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge will take on Iran in the men’s team semifinal.
The mixed recurve team event carries an additional incentive, with the champion National Olympic Committee set to earn one men’s and one women’s quota for the LA 2028 Olympics.
India’s women’s hockey team will also be in action later in the day, taking on defending champions China in the final at 3:30 PM IST. A victory would give India its first Asian Games women’s hockey gold since 1982 and secure a direct qualification quota for LA 2028.
Boxing will provide three more gold-medal opportunities for India. Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain will face China’s Ziyi Bao in the women’s 75kg final at 10 AM, while Parveen Hooda will meet Olympic medallist Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in the women’s 65kg final at 2:15 PM. Ankush Panghal will then face Republic of Korea’s Minseong Kim in the men’s 80kg final.
Wrestling will also see four Indian competitors begin their campaigns, while India has already assured itself of a medal in men’s quadrant sepaktakraw after reaching the semifinals.
Track cycling, sailing, golf, canoe slalom, rugby sevens, taekwondo and volleyball will complete India’s action-packed Day 13 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
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