India’s women’s recurve archers continued their impressive run on the international circuit with another strong showing at Stage 3 of the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Türkiye, keeping the country’s medal hopes alive through standout performances in both the individual and mixed team events.
With the tournament entering its crucial knockout stages, Indian archers delivered encouraging results on June 11, particularly in the women’s categories, where young talents Kumkum Anil Mohod, Ankita Bhakat, and Kirti Sharma showcased composure and consistency against quality opposition.
The biggest highlight of the day came in the recurve mixed team competition. Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara secured India’s first medal of the tournament after defeating Germany’s Katharina Bauer and Moritz Wieser 6-2 in the semi-finals. The Indian duo produced a composed display, registering set scores of 36, 39, 38, and 38 against Germany’s 37, 37, 36, and 37 to book their place in the gold medal match scheduled for June 14.
The result guarantees India at least a silver medal and gives the pair an opportunity to finish atop the podium. For Kumkum, the achievement represents another milestone in a rapidly rising career. The teenager has emerged as one of India’s most promising recurve archers over the past year and has already played a key role in India’s success at previous World Cup stages. Last month, she was part of the Indian women’s recurve team that stunned South Korea before going on to claim gold at the Shanghai World Cup stage.
The confidence gained from those performances was evident in Antalya, where the Indian women’s contingent continued to impress in the individual recurve eliminations.
Experienced archer Ankita Bhakat advanced to the Round of 32 after overcoming the Netherlands’ Quinty Roeffen in a hard-fought contest. Ankita secured a 6-4 victory, producing scores of 29, 26, 28, 29, and 29 across five sets. Roeffen pushed her throughout the match with scores of 29, 28, 27, 27, and 29, but the Indian archer held her nerve during the decisive moments to progress.
Kirti Sharma delivered one of India’s most dominant performances of the day. Facing China’s Huang Yuwei, Kirti never allowed her opponent to settle, claiming a comprehensive 6-0 victory in straight sets. The Indian archer posted scores of 28, 29, and 29, while Huang managed 27, 27, and 27. The convincing win highlighted Kirti’s growing confidence at the international level and reinforced her reputation as one of the country’s emerging recurve talents.
The performances of Ankita and Kirti ensured continued Indian representation in the women’s individual draw as the competition moved into the Round of 32 and beyond. Their progress comes at an important time for Indian archery, with the squad already beginning preparations for major events later this season, including the Asian Games cycle. Recent selection trials have seen both archers establish themselves among the country’s leading recurve performers.
The Antalya World Cup holds additional significance as it is the third stop on the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit, which features stages in Mexico, China, Türkiye, and Spain before culminating in the season-ending World Cup Final in Mexico later this year. Strong performances at each stage contribute valuable ranking points and momentum heading into the biggest events of the season.
While India’s men’s recurve campaign faced setbacks with early exits for Atanu Das and Yashdeep Bhoge, the women once again emerged as the country’s strongest performers. Their consistency has become a defining feature of India’s recurve programme over the past few months, highlighted by team medals, upset victories over traditional powerhouses, and the emergence of exciting young prospects.
With Kumkum Mohod now preparing for a World Cup mixed team final and both Ankita Bhakat and Kirti Sharma advancing in the women’s individual competition, India’s hopes in Antalya remain firmly alive. As the elimination rounds continue, the focus will be on whether the Indian women can convert their impressive performances into more podium finishes and continue their upward trajectory on the global stage.
