At the Asian Archery Championships 2025 here on Friday, India’s men’s recurve team defeated Korea in the final to take home the gold. Six gold medals were won by the Indian archers, including a historic one in the men’s individual recurve.

In the men’s recurve team competition at the championships, this was India’s first gold since 2007. Since 2013, Korea has won every tournament.

Through a shoot-off, the Indian team, which included Rahul, Atanu Das, and Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, won by a narrow 5-4 margin. In the shoot-off, both teams fired 29 shots each, but Rahul’s arrow was closest to the center, giving India the gold.

The Korean pair of Jang Minhee and Seo Mingi defeated Anshika Kumari and Yashdeep’s recurve mixed team in the bronze medal match.

In the men’s individual recurve, Rahul received silver after losing to fellow Indian Dhiraj Bommadevara in the final, while Deepshikha, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Prithika Pradeep’s team won gold.

After defeating Deepika Kumari in a shoot-off, Sangeeta won bronze in the women’s individual recurve. Rahul, Atanu Das, and Yashdeep Bhoge won gold after defeating South Korea in a shoot-off.

Ankita Bhakat and five-time Olympian Deepika Kumari will compete in the recurve women’s individual semifinal later in the day, while another Indian, Sangeeta, will face silver medallist Nam Suhyeon from the Paris Olympics.

Rahul will face another Korean, Seo Mingi, in the men’s individual competition, while Dhiraj Bommadevara will face Jang Chaehwan of Korea.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam earned two gold medals in the women’s individual and team compound competitions, while Ankita Bhakat took home the gold in the women’s individual recurve.

When Dhiraj Bommadevara won the men’s individual recurve gold—the first for India in eighteen years—he created history. In the final, he defeated fellow Indian Rahul 6-2 to take first place on the podium.

Dhiraj won the second set 29–26 to take a 2–1 lead following a fiercely contested first set that ended in a 1–1 deadlock. Dhiraj maintained his lead with a 3-1 overall score despite Rahul’s impressive effort, which tied the third set. After that, Dhiraj won the last set 28–26 to seal the victory.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, the current Asian Games champion, won her third individual gold medal at the Asian Championships after winning it in 2015 and 2021. The compound women’s final was an all-Indian event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s 2025 Asian Archery Championships medal winners for their outstanding performances at the competition, where they won ten medals—their highest total ever.

“Congratulations to our Archery team on their best ever performance at the Asian Archery Championships 2025. They have brought home 10 medals, including 6 Golds. Notable among these was the historic Recurve Men’s Gold after 18 years. At the same time, there were strong showings in individual events and successful Compound title defenses too. This is indeed a very special feat, which will motivate many upcoming athletes,” the PM posted on X.