Kirti Sharma helps India win first Asian Games women’s recurve team gold
Nineteen-year-old Kirti Sharma helped India defeat South Korea 5-3 in the women’s recurve team final at the Asian Games, delivering the country’s first gold in the event. Sharma’s medal followed years of criticism over her physical strength, a second chance in archery and intensive training at the Sports Authority of India centre in Hazaribagh.
India won its first Asian Games women’s recurve team gold after Kirti Sharma, Ankita Bhakat and Kumkum Mohod defeated South Korea 5-3 in a tense final at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park in Aichi-Nagoya, according to India Today. The victory also ended South Korea’s 28-year hold on the event. South Korea had won every women’s team recurve title since 1998, while India had never previously reached the final.
For Sharma, the result followed years in which people questioned whether she was physically strong enough to compete. The 19-year-old, from Ritauli village in Haryana, said poor health during childhood and her slight build made it difficult at first to lift heavier bows. She said negative comments strengthened her determination to succeed.
Her first introduction to archery came when coach Uddham Singh visited her area near Jind to identify young talent. Singh initially believed she needed more time before handling a competitive bow. When coaches returned in 2019, Sharma received another opportunity and began building the strength, stability and technique required for recurve archery.
Her family made sacrifices to support the career. Sharma’s father, Vijay, is a farmer and took a Rs 60,000 loan in 2022 to buy her a recurve bow, according to the report. Sharma later moved to the Sports Authority of India centre in Hazaribagh after Singh was transferred there.
At the centre, she worked on bow-arm strength, body alignment and shoulder power, with support from nutritionists. Sharma credited her family, Singh and the SAI facility for her progress. The final was level at 2-2 after the opening two sets.
India then scored 55 in the third set to move 4-2 ahead. South Korea responded with pressure in the last set, but India held its nerve. Sharma’s first arrow was reviewed and upgraded from an 8 to a 9, giving India the set point for a 5-3 victory.
The gold marked a historic first for India in the event and overturned the assumption that Sharma’s physical limitations would prevent her from reaching the international stage.
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