In the women’s solo competition, veteran archer Deepika Kumari advanced to the Round of 16 despite not feeling her best on Wednesday, July 31.
In Indian archery, Kumari has gained widespread recognition and inspiration for her ascent from modest beginnings to the top of the sport worldwide.
Deepika Kumari is from the village of Ratu Chatti and was born on June 13, 1994, in Ranchi, Jharkhand. She is the daughter of Ranchi Medical College nurse Geeta and autorickshaw driver Shiv Charan Prajapati.
Deepika showed an interest in archery at a young age. Due to budgetary restrictions, she first practiced by throwing stones at mangoes. Initially, she was trained with bamboo arrows and bows.
When Deepika enrolled in the Tata Archery Academy in 2006, her ability was acknowledged, and she was provided with appropriate instruction and equipment. Her first significant accomplishment was winning the Cadet World Championship in November 2009.
When she won two gold medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it marked Deepika’s breakthrough in the senior division. Her achievements at the 2010 Asian Games were further solidified when she won a bronze medal in the team competition.
Several programs have provided funding to help Kumari’s archery prowess, including the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for Rs. 5,29,540 and the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) for Rs. 36,41,627.
Important government initiatives have also been essential in her growth. The package comprises two weeks of international training at the Archery Kim School in Korea, which costs Rs. 4,89,800.
This includes two weeks of foreign training at the Archery Kim School in Korea worth Rs. 4,89,800 from May 26, 2024 to June 7, 2024, as well as financial support for equipment worth Rs. 7,59,586 in 2020 and 2021.
Deepika Kumari’s performance in Olympics 2024
Despite having a rocky day at the Invalides, Deepika Kumari blasted into the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s solo archery at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
On a day when she wasn’t feeling her best, Deepika had luck on her side. Despite requiring a shoot-off in her first round, Deepika prevailed in her first two.
In the second round, Deepika Kumari defeated Quinty Roeffen 6-2. She won the opening set of the match with two tens and a nine. With two 9s and a 10, Roeffen nearly kept Deepika in control. Despite hitting three 9s in the second set, Deepika was defeated. Roeffen scored two tens to make it 2-2.
For Deepika, the third set was a piece of cake. The Indian shooter won the set 25-17 despite only managing to shoot 25—that included a 7. In the third set, Roeffen’s first arrow missed the target board and she was awarded nothing.
Also Read: Who is Lakshya Sen? A rising star in Indian badminton
Deepika, ranked 14th in the world, was forced to the tiebreaker in the opening match. In the tie-breaker, she scored a nine, giving Estonia’s Reena Parnat a chance to pull off an upset. But Parnat made an 8 and gave Deepika the victory.
Ankita Bhakat lost in the opening round of the women’s individual competition earlier on Tuesday, but 18-year-old Bhajan Kaur advanced to the pre-quarterfinals. Conversely, Dhiraj Bommadevara experienced a painful elimination in the men’s individual round of 32.