In what could prove a preview of the Asian Games later this year, India upset home favourite China in the recurve women’s team final at Shanghai 2026 – stage two of the Hyundai Archery World Cup – to claim the nation’s first World Cup gold in the event since Paris 2021.
With Zhu Jingyi, Huang Yuwei and Yu Qi arriving as the form team of the outdoor season after securing gold at the opening stage in Puebla – and with Zhu and Huang having also claimed gold in Central Florida last year – it seemed as if Shanghai was China’s to take.
What the home nation could not forget, however, was that Deepika Kumari, Kumkum Anil Mohod and Ankita Bhakat had already defeated 10-time Olympic gold-medal-winning nation Korea earlier in the week, 5-1 – the margin of victory almost as surprising as the result itself.
China did not allow the Indian trio much room for comfort, with the teams trading set points throughout a tense final at Riverside Financial Plaza while both sides struggled at times to adapt to the constantly changing wind conditions.
Tied at 4-4, China opened the door in the deciding set with an 8-9-9 sequence.
That left Kumari needing at least a nine with the final arrow to secure India’s first World Cup recurve women’s team gold in five years – and smiling on the shooting line, she delivered exactly that.
“Last year was not too good, and last year I won a bronze medal here,” said the four-time Olympian. “I didn’t shoot well then, either individually or in the team, so you can say that I’m heading in a good direction.”
Kumari admitted she briefly lost focus earlier in the match after shooting a seven, distracted both by her own execution and the countdown clock beside teammate Bhakat.
