Asian Games: Haryana’s Kirti Sharma overcomes odds to win recurve team gold

Haryana archer Kirti Sharma overcame health and financial challenges to help India win the women’s recurve team gold at the Asian Games 2026. Kirti, along with Ankita Bhagat and Kumkum Mohod, defeated South Korea 5-3 in the final

Hyderabad: The Indian women’s recurve team of Kirti Sharma, Ankita Bhagat and Kumkum Mohod created history at the Asian Games 2026 by vanquishing South Korea in the final to clinch the gold medal.

The Indian trio thus ended South Korea’s 44-year domination of the event at the Asian Games.

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Like several other sports disciplines, India’s triumph in the women’s recurve team event at the Asian Games also has a Haryana connection, in the form of Kirti Sharma.

Born into a farming family in the patriarchal milieu of rural Haryana, Kirti had to battle a host of obstacles to travel from the nondescript village of Ritauli to Asian Games glory.

“I was suffering from poor health since childhood. I had to listen to a lot of negative comments from various quarters doubting my ability to make it big in archery. Since I was not in good shape physically, initially I found it difficult to even lift bows with heavy poundage. But I was determined to do whatever it takes to prove my critics wrong,” Kirti told SAI Media from Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

She ultimately realised that goal when the Indian trio defeated South Korea 5-3 in a tense final at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park. The 19-year-old credited her family, especially her father, Vijay Sharma, for standing by her through difficult times and laying the foundation for her success.

“My father is a farmer. But he has always supported me and has taken care of all expenses related to my sports career despite financial constraints,” Kirti said.

“Many people told my father that he should not allow me to go into sports since I was a girl. They also expressed doubts over my ability to succeed due to my poor health. But my father has always believed in me.”

The star archer, who trains at the SAI training centre in Hazaribagh, asserted that SAI and her coach, Uddham Singh, deserve all the accolades for paving the way to Asian Games glory.

“My family and my coach have always supported me and made me believe that I can do wonders. In fact, I appeared for the trials at SAI, Hazaribagh, only because my coach Uddham Singh was transferred there. In fact, during my initial years, I used to train at an academy started by Uddham sir,” Kirti said.

“I went to SAI, Hazaribagh, four years ago. Since then, my career has improved by leaps and bounds. SAI and Uddham Singh sir are responsible for whatever I have achieved.”