Mumbai: South Korea had been there and done that, seven times at that, as the women’s team recurve gold medallists at the Asian Games since 1998.
In an upset of epic proportions and a triumph of tremendous grit and calm, the Indian women’s recurve team beat South Korea, the nearly untouchable powerhouses in the discipline, 5-3 in the final on Friday to win the gold medal . Kumkum shot brilliantly as India breezed past China 5-1 in the semi-finals less than an hour earlier to enter the final of this event for the first time. The teen shot a 10 – her first of the final – to set the tone for India in a set where the Koreans shot four 8s. And with Kumkum finding another 10, the set went India’s way at 55-51. They shot 9s and 10s off the first three shots of the final set, while Indians had two 9s and an 8. A final that seemed headed for a shoot-off turned spectacularly when the Koreans did not find a 10 off the next three shots, and Kumkum (who else) found it off India’s last.
India had never won it, as they were only two-time bronze medallists competing in their first final at the Asian Games. The youngest of the lot was the most impressive and composed on the big day. India had already made history. In the final against the most consistent finalists ever, however, they were about to make some more. Two points each and two sets to go, India tweaked the order. Kirti was asked to go first, and it worked. Korea weren’t going to go away easily.
