Indians Dheeraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Mohammed won the mixed team gold medal at the third round of the Shooting World Cup in Antalya on Sunday, defeating defending Olympic champions South Korea in the final.The Indian duo defeated Oh Ye Jin and Kim Ji Duk 5-1 (37-36, 37-36, 39-39) to secure the title.
Facing one of the strongest teams in international shooting, Dheeraj and Kumkum maintained their control throughout the match and made the most of crucial moments.The competition was close in the opening two sets, but the Indian duo edged both by one point to take a 4-0 lead. South Korea responded in the third group and beat India 39-39 and got one point. But that was not enough to prevent India from getting the gold medal.Dheeraj played a key role in the final stages of the competition. The 24-year-old Olympian fired 10 perfect shots with his final two arrows, helping India close out the match and secure victory.
The gold medal was a huge achievement for both shooters. This was the first World Cup gold medal in the repeated mixed team event for 17-year-old Dheeraj and Kumkum.The win was India’s second victory over South Korea in as many months and underscored growing confidence in the repeat build-up in the run-up to the Asian Games in three months’ time.
At the World Cup in Shanghai last month, the women’s trio of Dipika Kumari, Kumkum and Ankita Bhakat stunned a record 10-time Olympic champions in the semifinals on their way to the gold medal. Dheeraj’s campaign in Antalya is not over yet. India’s top-ranked archer has also reached the individual semi-finals and remains in contention for another medal.Kumkum had already had success earlier this season. In the second round of the Shooting World Cup in Shanghai last month, she was part of the Indian women’s team that won the gold medal.India’s previous mixed team gold medal came at the World Cup stage in 2022, also in Antalya. On that occasion, Ridhi Fore and Tarundeep Rai defeated Britons Bryony Bateman and Alex Wise in a penalty shoot-out to claim the title.