India women's recurve team beats China in shoot-off for Archery World Cup gold
Synopsis
India's women's recurve trio delivered a nervy shoot-off victory over hosts China to capture gold at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai — their first such medal since 2021. Deepika Kumari's ice-cool final arrow sealed the comeback after a tense regulation tie. The win underscores India's rising strength in team recurve, capped by a semifinal upset over 10-time Olympic champions South Korea.
Key Takeaways
India's women's recurve team (Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Mohod) defeated China 5-4 (28-26) in a shoot-off to win gold at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai on 10 May .
The victory is India's first Archery World Cup gold medal since 2021 .
India defeated 10-time Olympic champions South Korea in the semifinals to reach the final.
Pravin Jadhav won bronze in the compound individual event; Sahil Jadhav earned bronze in the men's individual compound, defeating Denmark's Martin Damsbo 147-144 .
Simranjeet Kaur advanced to the recurve individual semifinals, one win away from her first World Cup medal.
India won only one compound medal at this year's Shanghai World Cup, down from five in 2025 .
India's women's recurve team delivered a stunning comeback to defeat hosts China in a dramatic shoot-off and claim the gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai on Sunday, 10 May. The trio of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod held their nerve in a tense final to edge past China 5-4 (28-26) in the shoot-off, securing India's first Archery World Cup gold medal since 2021.
How the match unfolded
The final was a see-saw contest, with India winning the opening set before China rallied strongly to level the scores and force the match into a shoot-off after regulation play ended level. Under mounting pressure, the Indian archers delivered when it mattered most. Deepika Kumari, the veteran star, sealed the memorable victory with a crucial nine on the final arrow of the shoot-off.
Path to the final
The Indian team had pulled off a major upset in the semifinals by defeating record 10-time Olympic champions South Korea, earning their spot in the gold medal match. This victory underlined India's growing pedigree in team recurve archery on the global stage.
India's medal haul
The women's recurve gold was India's second medal of the tournament. Pravin Jadhav had opened the country's account with a bronze in the compound individual event on Saturday. Later in the competition, Simranjeet Kaur advanced to the semifinals of the recurve individual event, remaining one win away from claiming her first individual World Cup medal.
Sahil Jadhav's bronze
Sahil Jadhav, the 25-year-old Indian archer, earned a bronze medal in the men's individual compound competition. He defeated Denmark's Martin Damsbo 147-144 in the bronze medal match after rallying from a first-set loss of 30-29 to win the next four sets. In the quarterfinals, Sahil narrowly defeated Austria's Nico Wiener, the 2021 world champion, in a shoot-off after both finished with 147 points. His campaign ended in the semifinals when reigning world champion Nicolas Girard of France defeated him 147-145. Sahil had also defeated India's Abhishek Verma in the third round and Germany's Ruven Fluss 149-146 in the round of 16.
Compound event struggles
Sahil's bronze was India's only medal in the compound events at this year's Shanghai World Cup, marking a sharp decline from the five compound medals India secured at the same venue in 2025.
Point of View
One this year. That's not variance; it's a structural gap. The recurve team's gold masks deeper questions about India's bench depth and compound coaching, especially as Paris 2024 approaches and the quad cycle resets.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India's women's recurve team win the Archery World Cup gold in Shanghai?
India's women's recurve team defeated China 5-4 (28-26) in a dramatic shoot-off final on 10 May. After regulation play ended level, the Indian archers held their nerve under pressure, with Deepika Kumari scoring a crucial nine on the final arrow to seal the victory.
Who were the members of India's gold medal-winning recurve team?
The team comprised Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, and Kumkum Mohod. Deepika Kumari, the veteran archer, delivered the decisive shot in the shoot-off.
How many medals has India won at the Archery World Cup Stage 2 in Shanghai so far?
India has won at least three medals: gold from the women's recurve team, bronze from Pravin Jadhav in the compound individual event, and bronze from Sahil Jadhav in the men's individual compound. Simranjeet Kaur is still in contention in the recurve individual semifinals.
What happened to India's compound archers at this year's World Cup?
India won only one compound medal (Sahil Jadhav's bronze) at the 2026 Shanghai World Cup, a sharp drop from five compound medals at the same venue in 2025. This marks a significant decline in India's compound performance year-on-year.
Did India face any notable opponents on the way to the gold?
Yes, India defeated 10-time Olympic champions South Korea in the semifinals to book their spot in the gold medal final against China. In the compound events, Sahil Jadhav defeated Austria's Nico Wiener, the 2021 world champion, in a quarterfinal shoot-off.
