The stage is set for the biggest sporting event on earth and all eyes will be on London for the next couple of weeks. This Olympics is very important for India, this is the biggest Indian contingent ever to have gone to compete in the mega event and more importantly all the athletes who have gone have gone there to win and not just to participate.
Beijing Olympics was the best one for India with India winning three medals, and for the first time an individual gold medal. The competition will begin in the matter of few hours and Indian archers will take the centre stage today. Six archers Jayanta Talukdar, Rahul Bannerjee and Tarundeep Rai, Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayala and Chekrovolu Swuro will represent India in archery.
But all eyes will be on the 18 year old teen-sensation Deepika Kumari. She will not only be leading the girl’s team but is a huge prospect for India to win an individual medal. The girl from Ranchi is the number one player in the world and will be looking to end the Korean dominance from the sport.
Korean women have won all the Olympic team gold medals in the history of the event since team championships was included in the Olympics in 1988, but going by Deepika’s form it looks that things won’t be that easy for the Koreans this time around.
Deepika has always said that being number one doesn’t matter much for her as it is the Olympic medal that she wants. She believes a player has to do well at the Olympics to get the recognition and till she does that the number one tag means nothing to her.
Deepika Kumari said that since the time she got into the sport she wanted to win an Olympic medal and she will give her hundred percent to achieve her life-long dream.
Team coach, Limba Ram also believes that Deepika has it in her to do what the whole country expects from her, he said, “Deepika is at her peak. She is young and energetic and is never ready to lose. She is very sincere when it comes to training and this will pay her at the big stage.”
Deepika Kumari who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi defeated Lee Sung of Korea in the final of the individual recurve event at the World Cup at Antalya, Turkey to become the number one player in the world.
Deepika Kumari whose father is an auto-rickshaw driver is the new role-model for thousands of young athletes who can’t afford much but wants to make it big in international world.
Deepika has always been fearless in her approach towards the game; she is not afraid of defeats and even though she is carrying the hopes of millions of fans back home is not nervous going into the tournament.
This young girl doesn’t want to leave anything for chance, she has a lot of time in her hands, but she is adamant to win a medal this time and it is her attitude that separates her from the rest. Deepika is already an inspiration to thousands of young kids she has the chance to give this sport a new dimension in India.
By Indian Sport News Network
