NEW DELHI: Deepika Kumari, a highly decorated archer with numerous World Cup medals, has consistently fallen short of expectations in her four Olympic appearances. Despite her disappointing performances on the biggest stage, she remains determined to continue her pursuit of an Olympic podium finish. Deepika believes that her moment of glory could potentially arrive at the Los Angeles Olympics in four years.
“Obviously, I want to play more in the future and will continue my game,” Deepika told PTI in an exclusive interaction at the India House in Paris.
“I really want to win an Olympic medal, and I won’t quit until I achieve that. I’ll train harder and come back strongly,” added Deepika, who has won every international medal except for an Olympic yellow metal.
“Firstly, I will present myself more strongly. There are many things, like quick shooting, that I need to learn a bit more about, and it’s very important to train myself accordingly.
“What I learned from the Olympics is that late shooting doesn’t work; you have no room to make big mistakes, so you have to control that. I will learn that from here,” she said in hindsight.
Deepika, 30, made a triumphant return to the Olympic stage in Paris, marking her fourth consecutive appearance at the prestigious event. This achievement was particularly noteworthy as it followed her journey into motherhood, with the birth of her daughter in December 2022.
Having proven her mettle by securing the top spot in the national selection trials, Deepika further showcased her prowess on the international stage, clinching an individual gold medal at the World Cup held in Shanghai in April.
Despite her familiarity with the venue, where she had previously garnered numerous World Cup accolades, the immense pressure of the Olympic arena took its toll.
Deepika entered the main draw as the 23rd seed, despite being ranked below her Indian counterparts, Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur, who were also making their debut. With a score of 658, she found herself 36 points behind the Korean top seed and eventual champion, Lim Sihyeon.
In the team event, Deepika struggled to find her footing, and the Indian team was swiftly defeated by the Netherlands in their first-round encounter.
Undeterred by the setback, Deepika showcased her resilience in the individual category. She fought her way through three challenging matches, ultimately securing a spot in the quarterfinals, proving her determination to succeed.
Facing Korean archer Nam Suhyeon, whom she had previously defeated in the Shanghai World Cup semifinal, Deepika took an early two-set lead. However, she couldn’t maintain her momentum, shooting into the 7-point red ring as the Korean teenager rallied to a 6-4 victory.
Nam went on to secure a silver medal, losing to her more favored teammate Lim in the final.
Looking back at the result, Deepika said: “I was not nervous. I was playing strongly, but one shot (the 7-point) really went wrong, and that was the reason I lost the match. Overall, it was a good experience.”
Deepika nearly ran out of time to shoot her arrow, releasing it with just two seconds left on the clock. This likely contributed to it landing in the red ring, highlighting the importance of “quick shooting,” something she’s aware she needs to improve.
It was another quarterfinal exit for Deepika, similar to her loss to eventual gold medalist An San of Korea in straight sets at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
So, what are the three areas she needs to focus on?
“To keep myself calm; to focus more on my shooting form and concentration; and finally, to enjoy the game fully when I have time,” she said.
With her sights set on LA 2028, Deepika said: “In the next Olympics, I want to be mentally stronger and win a medal. I really want to win an Olympic medal.”
The archers did not have the India sports psychologist Gayatri Vartak present until just before the mixed team event, due to a delayed visa.
“No, I don’t think it played any role in our performance. We stayed in touch with her and talked to her continuously. It’s not an issue in this case,” she signed off.
“Obviously, I want to play more in the future and will continue my game,” Deepika told PTI in an exclusive interaction at the India House in Paris.
“I really want to win an Olympic medal, and I won’t quit until I achieve that. I’ll train harder and come back strongly,” added Deepika, who has won every international medal except for an Olympic yellow metal.
“Firstly, I will present myself more strongly. There are many things, like quick shooting, that I need to learn a bit more about, and it’s very important to train myself accordingly.
“What I learned from the Olympics is that late shooting doesn’t work; you have no room to make big mistakes, so you have to control that. I will learn that from here,” she said in hindsight.
Deepika, 30, made a triumphant return to the Olympic stage in Paris, marking her fourth consecutive appearance at the prestigious event. This achievement was particularly noteworthy as it followed her journey into motherhood, with the birth of her daughter in December 2022.
Having proven her mettle by securing the top spot in the national selection trials, Deepika further showcased her prowess on the international stage, clinching an individual gold medal at the World Cup held in Shanghai in April.
Despite her familiarity with the venue, where she had previously garnered numerous World Cup accolades, the immense pressure of the Olympic arena took its toll.
Deepika entered the main draw as the 23rd seed, despite being ranked below her Indian counterparts, Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur, who were also making their debut. With a score of 658, she found herself 36 points behind the Korean top seed and eventual champion, Lim Sihyeon.
In the team event, Deepika struggled to find her footing, and the Indian team was swiftly defeated by the Netherlands in their first-round encounter.
Undeterred by the setback, Deepika showcased her resilience in the individual category. She fought her way through three challenging matches, ultimately securing a spot in the quarterfinals, proving her determination to succeed.
Facing Korean archer Nam Suhyeon, whom she had previously defeated in the Shanghai World Cup semifinal, Deepika took an early two-set lead. However, she couldn’t maintain her momentum, shooting into the 7-point red ring as the Korean teenager rallied to a 6-4 victory.
Nam went on to secure a silver medal, losing to her more favored teammate Lim in the final.
Looking back at the result, Deepika said: “I was not nervous. I was playing strongly, but one shot (the 7-point) really went wrong, and that was the reason I lost the match. Overall, it was a good experience.”
Deepika nearly ran out of time to shoot her arrow, releasing it with just two seconds left on the clock. This likely contributed to it landing in the red ring, highlighting the importance of “quick shooting,” something she’s aware she needs to improve.
It was another quarterfinal exit for Deepika, similar to her loss to eventual gold medalist An San of Korea in straight sets at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
So, what are the three areas she needs to focus on?
“To keep myself calm; to focus more on my shooting form and concentration; and finally, to enjoy the game fully when I have time,” she said.
With her sights set on LA 2028, Deepika said: “In the next Olympics, I want to be mentally stronger and win a medal. I really want to win an Olympic medal.”
The archers did not have the India sports psychologist Gayatri Vartak present until just before the mixed team event, due to a delayed visa.
“No, I don’t think it played any role in our performance. We stayed in touch with her and talked to her continuously. It’s not an issue in this case,” she signed off.
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