Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 02: India’s women’s recurve team won a maiden Asian Games gold against South Korea. Lovlina Borgohain took the 75kg title in boxing. Parveen Hooda added a second boxing gold at 65kg.
A Golden Day Across Disciplines
Friday brought India gold in two very different sports at Asian Games 2026. One title demanded collective precision with bow and arrow. Two others came through individual contests in the boxing ring.
Each was won against strong Asian opposition. Together, they marked a significant day for Indian women athletes.
Recurve Team Breaks Through
Ankita Bhakat, Kirti and Kumkum Anil Mohod won the women’s recurve team final. It was India’s first gold in the event in Asian Games history.
Their opponents were South Korea, a traditional archery powerhouse. That made the breakthrough all the more notable. The team format rewards consistency from all three archers. No single shot decided the contest.
Four Sets Decide the Final
The final was settled on set points across four series. India shot 54 in the first, matching the Korean total. Kirti’s shot was initially scored an 8 but upgraded to a 9 on review. The set points were split 1-1.
The second series ended 56-56, again sharing the points. The third series proved decisive. India scored 55 against South Korea’s 51 to lead 4-2. South Korea now needed to win the last series outright.
The fourth series finished level at 54 apiece. That shared point gave India a 5-3 victory on set points.
Lovlina Completes Her Collection
Lovlina Borgohain won her maiden Asian Games gold in women’s 75kg. It came on her birthday. She beat China’s Bao Ziyi 5-0 by unanimous decision in the final. Bao arrived as the reigning Asian Championships gold medallist.
Lovlina already held Olympic, World Championship, Asian Games and Asian Championship medals. She is now only the second Indian woman boxer to win Asian Games gold. Mary Kom was the first, in 2014.
A Difficult Route to the Final
Her path to the title was demanding. In the quarter-finals, she beat South Korea’s Seong Suyeon 5-0. The semi-final was far tighter. Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova, the reigning world champion, pushed her close. Lovlina won on a 3-2 split decision.
Parveen Adds Another Gold
Parveen Hooda delivered a second Indian boxing gold in women’s 65kg. She faced Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei in the final. Parveen prevailed 3-2 on a split decision.
Like Lovlina’s semi-final, it offered little margin for error. Her victory gave Indian boxing a second women’s title.
Success Across Different Arenas
The three golds demanded very different skills. The archers needed shared consistency across four tight series. The boxers had to win individual bouts against proven opponents. Two of those decisions came by the narrowest split margin.
South Korea, a world champion and an Asian champion all fell. Indian archery and Indian boxing each produced landmark moments. That breadth explains why Friday’s results stand out.
