“Maine match shuru hone se khud ko bol diya tha, woh 10 maarte hain, to mujhe bhi 10 hi maarna hai [I told myself before the match began: they shoot 10s too, so I have to shoot 10s as well].”
These were the words echoing in the mind of 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod as she stepped onto the shooting line at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. In a sport where the Republic of Korea has maintained a stranglehold for decades, the young Indian prodigy didn’t just compete—she dismantled the aura of invincibility surrounding the global archery giants.
By capturing the women’s individual recurve gold, Mohod did more than secure a medal; she shattered a glass ceiling, becoming the first Indian to ever claim an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games. Her victory also delivered a crucial quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, signaling the arrival of a new force in world archery.
Manifestation: ‘I had been visualising this for a year’
For the uninitiated, the gold medal might seem like a sudden breakthrough, but for Mohod, it was the culmination of a year-long psychological preparation. Long before she set foot in Japan, the teenager had already stood on the top step of the podium in her mind.
Every night for 365 days, Mohod recited a singular mantra five times before drifting off to sleep: “Kumkum, Asian Games gold jeetna hai” (Kumkum, you have to win Asian Games gold). This ritual, paired with her personal devotion, became the bedrock of her focus.
Her resolve was tested against the absolute elite. In the quarterfinals, she dismantled the world champion and Olympic medallist Kang Chaeyoung with a clinical 6-3 display. After moving past China’s Zhu Jingyi in the semifinals, she faced the final hurdle: South Korea’s Oh Yejin.
The gold medal match was a thriller that pushed the young Indian to her absolute limit. Tied 5-5 after five sets, the contest boiled down to a high-stakes shoot-off. With the pressure mounting and the stadium holding its breath, Oh fired an eight—a rare slip-up at this level. Mohod, maintaining ice-cold composure, stepped up and struck a perfect 10, cementing her place in sporting history.
“I enjoyed that moment while shooting,” Mohod said in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com. “Anyone who says there is no pressure is absolutely wrong. Sport is about nerves and thrilling moments. There is always adrenaline, and you have to overcome it. The person who manages to do that wins.”
Road to the final: Learning from the best, then beating her
The victory against Kang Chaeyoung was perhaps the most poignant moment of the tournament. For years, Mohod had studied Kang’s technique—the flawless release, the follow-through, and the poise under duress. She had turned the Korean legend into a role model, meticulously observing how the world’s best managed the pressure of the shooting line.
“Kang’s shooting technique is very good. Her release is excellent, and she does not drop her bow after the follow-through,” Mohod observed. To then stand against her idol and emerge victorious was a surreal experience. After the match, the mutual respect was evident as the two exchanged a high-five, with the student acknowledging the master. “She is a legend of the sport,” Mohod said. “She has made her country proud, and now I have done the same.”
A family’s unwavering faith
The path to the Asian Games was not paved with ease. Born into a household where her father, Anil Mohod, runs a business making sweet boxes, Kumkum was initially guided toward academic excellence. However, her rapid ascent in archery—winning a medal within six months of taking up the sport—quickly convinced her family to throw their full weight behind her dreams.
Now, that support has turned into a community celebration. The Mohod home has transformed into a hub of activity, with neighbors and officials flooding the residence with congratulations. “It feels like a wedding atmosphere at home,” she laughed. “All thanks to Krishna ji.”
Beyond the bow: A disciplined approach
What sets the 17-year-old apart from her peers is her radical approach to digital distractions. In an age of constant connectivity, Mohod has chosen a minimalist path. She has never maintained a social media presence and took the drastic step of disabling YouTube months before the Asian Games to ensure her focus remained absolute.
Instead of scrolling, she spends her downtime with a sketchbook or reading, finding solace in drawing and craftwork. This intentional quiet allows her to channel her mental energy into her sport.
The ultimate dream: Olympic gold
With an Asian Games gold, a team gold, and a mixed team silver already in her trophy cabinet, Mohod has firmly established her status as a global contender. However, the hunger for more remains. The mantra she repeated for the last year has evolved into a new, singular target: “Kumkum, Olympic gold jeetna hai.”
As she looks toward the horizon, specifically the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, there is no sign of complacency. With a reminder of that goal pinned on her wall at home, Mohod is already preparing for the next step of her journey.
“LA 2028 gold is the target,” she said. “I will work hard for it and strengthen myself mentally.” If her journey to the Asian Games is any indicator, the world should be ready: the teenager who refuses to believe that Koreans are unbeatable is just getting started.
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