"Winning for Korea felt so inevitable, yet they ended the 28th-year monopoly" Local excitement in India... Upset in Women's Recurve: "An unimaginable event has occurred" [Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games]

*This content was translated by AI.

"An unimaginable event has occurred. Korea lost."

Korea's dominance in the women's recurve team event at the Asian Games, which it had maintained for 28 years, finally came to a halt. India, competing in the final for the first time in history, defeated the world's strongest team, Korea, and took home the gold medal, sparking intense excitement even locally.

The Korean women's Yang Gung (CEO) team, consisting of Kang Chae-young (Hyundai Mobis), Oh Ye-jin (Gwangju Bank), and Lee Yun-ji (Hyundai Mobis), lost to India with a set score of 3-5 in the final of the women's recurve team event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held on the 2nd at the Multi-Purpose Plaza in Okazaki Central Comprehensive Park, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

India, fielding Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma, and Kumkum Mohod, thereby wrote a new history by winning its first-ever gold medal in the women's recurve team event at the Asian Games.

Conversely, it was a shocking result for Korea.

Korea had won this event seven consecutive times, from the 1998 Bangkok Games to the most recent 2022 Hangzhou Games. Regardless of changes in players and generations, the gold medal always belonged to Korea.

At this tournament, they challenged for a historic eighth consecutive title, but were stopped by India in the final, ending their reign at the top that had lasted for 28 years.

Local Indian media also reacted with great excitement to the historic victory.

The Indian Express highlighted the win, asking, "How did the Indian trio end Korea's 28-year monopoly in women's recurve?"

The outlet stated, "An unimaginable event has occurred. Korea lost," and reported that "the Korean Yeo Ja (CEO) team had held the Asian Games recurve team title for 28 years."

It added, "They have won every Asian Games since 1998. There were seven gold medals and seven generations of archers, but there was not a single interruption," introducing the overwhelming history Korea had built.

On the other hand, India had never even advanced to the final of this event before this tournament. However, defying all expectations, they defeated the absolute powerhouse, Korea.

The Indian Express noted, "India did not simply win a gold medal," and emphasized that "they snatched a title that appeared almost hereditary."

The confidence of the Indian athletes was also remarkable.

Kirti said, "We were not afraid at all," and revealed, "In the morning, we talked about being happy and enjoying the game, whether or not we won a medal."

In particular, even when the arena announcer introduced Korea as a "10-time Olympic champion country," the Indian athletes did not feel intimidated.

It was reported that 17-year-old Kumkum instead expressed confidence by saying, "Today's Asian Games victory is ours."

For the Korean athletes, it was an unfamiliar defeat.

The outlet reported after the match that "some Korean players shed tears and embraced each other, unable to leave the venue for a while."

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*This content was translated by AI.