Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara Win Silver as China Take Recurve Mixed Team Gold

Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara finished with silver in the recurve mixed team event at the 2026 Asian Games after China defeated India 5-3 in a final that swung dramatically after a difficult opening.

China’s Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi eventually held their nerve in the decisive fourth set, tying it 37-37 to secure the gold medal and the Olympic quota for Los Angeles 2028. For India, the silver added another significant medal to a breakthrough morning in recurve archery. Kumkum had already been part of India’s historic women’s team gold earlier in the session, alongside Ankita Bhakat and Kirti. Dhiraj and Kumkum came close to completing another gold-medal performance but were unable to overcome the damage created in the opening two sets.

India shot first in the opening set, with Kumkum starting with a 9 before Dhiraj followed with an 8. China immediately established an advantage. Zhu hit a 10 and Li an 8, putting China one point ahead. Kumkum then slipped to a 7, one of her lowest-scoring arrows of the morning, before Dhiraj responded with a 10.

India finished the opening set on 34. China, however, had Zhu in outstanding form. She added another 10, while Li produced a 10 of his own. China finished on 38, taking the opening set 38-34 and moving 2-0 ahead. The early deficit meant India needed an immediate response.

Instead, China extended its advantage.

Kumkum began the second set with another 8, while Dhiraj added a 9, leaving India on 17 after the opening rotation. China matched that score, with Zhu shooting 9 and Li 8. India appeared to have stabilised the situation, but Kumkum again found only an 8 with her second arrow. Dhiraj produced another excellent 10 to take India to 35.

China needed 19 to win the set. Zhu delivered the pressure arrow with a 10. Li followed with another 10. China finished on 37, taking the second set 37-35 and moving to a commanding 4-0 lead. India were now one set away from losing the final.

The third set became India's opportunity to stay alive. Kumkum again began with an 8, but Dhiraj immediately responded with a 10. China took a one-point lead through Zhu's 9 and Li's 10. With the pressure increasing, Kumkum finally found the response India needed.

She shot a 10. Dhiraj followed with a 9, giving India 37. China needed only 18 from its final two arrows to win the gold.

Zhu produced another 10. Li then needed an 8 to finish the contest. Instead, he shot a 7. That single-point error changed the complexion of the final.

India won the third set 37-36, reducing China's lead to 4-2 and keeping the gold-medal contest alive. For the first time in the final, the Chinese pair had been made to shoot under genuine pressure.

India Pushes for the Shoot-Off

The fourth set was therefore a must-win for India. Kumkum began with a 9 and Dhiraj matched her with another 9, giving India 18 from the opening two arrows. China responded with an 8 from Zhu and a 10 from Li, bringing the set level at 18-18. India then produced its strongest sequence of the final.

Kumkum found a 10. Dhiraj followed with a 9.

India reached 37.

China needed 19 from its final two arrows to win the gold. Anything less would have opened the door for India to tie the match and force a shoot-off.

Zhu shot a 9. That meant Li had to hit a 10. He did.

His arrow just caught the line marking the 10-ring. China finished the set on 37, tying India 37-37. The tied set was enough for China to take the required set point and close the match 5-3.

The result left Kumkum and Dhiraj with silver, while China took the gold and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic quota. For India, the medal nevertheless represents another important step forward in recurve archery. The mixed team silver came after the historic women's recurve team gold earlier in the day, where Kumkum, Ankita Bhakat and Kirti defeated South Korea 5-3 to end the Koreans' long-standing dominance in the event.

Kumkum therefore leaves the session with two Asian Games medals, including a historic gold. The mixed team final also demonstrated how narrow the margins are at this level. India's 34 in the opening set and 35 in the second left too much ground to recover, despite a spirited response in the final two sets.

The third set showed what was possible when India put together its strongest scoring sequence, while the fourth demonstrated how close the contest had become. India reached 37 and forced China to find a perfect final arrow to avoid a shoot-off.

Li delivered. That was the difference between gold and silver.

For Kumkum and Dhiraj, it was a frustrating finish after the comeback had brought India within one set, forcing a shoot-off. But the silver still adds to India's strongest-ever showing in the recurve events at these Asian Games and for Kumkum in particular, it caps a remarkable morning of competition.