Ganesh Mani Ratnam targets LA28 gold, says India belongs on Olympic podium

 Twenty-year-old Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru believes Indian archery has reached a stage where it must now prove to the world that it "belongs" on the Olympic podium, with an elusive medal at Los Angeles 2028 firmly in its sights.

Fresh from his maiden Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where he returned with an individual bronze and a team gold last month, the Andhra Pradesh compound archer said India's stupendous showing had given the team the confidence to challenge the best and turn its growing dominance into Olympic glory.

Despite producing world champions and world No. 1 archers in both recurve and compound disciplines, India are yet to win an Olympic medal in archery, with their ability to handle pressure against traditional powerhouses South Korea and China often coming under scrutiny.

But Ganesh believes the recent results have changed the equation and given Indian archers reason to aim higher.

"For me, winning a gold and a bronze in the Asian Games 2026 has really motivated me for the Olympics," Ganesh told PTI in an interview on the sidelines of an annual sports day event at a city-based school here on Wednesday.

"From now, our process will be to prove to every country that India is among the best. India will be proving the best. For the Olympics, I expect gold in the mixed team event.

"We have a quota reserved for India. We will prove to everyone that we belong on the Olympic podium."

The confidence is backed by a series of landmark performances in the ongoing Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle, with Indian archery enjoying a resurgence across both disciplines.

India became the first country to secure the mixed team compound quota for LA28 at the Asian Games, ahead of its historic Olympic debut in 2028.

The recurve archers also have made significant inroads into South Korea's long-standing dominance.

The women's team of Kumkum Mohod, Kirti Sharma and Ankita Bhakat stunned the 10-time Olympic champions in the final to secure India's maiden Asian Games gold in the event.

That victory also marked India's second win over South Korea in six months, following their semifinal triumph at the Shanghai World Cup in May, where the Indian women went on to beat China in the final.

The 17-year-old, Kumkum, further underlined India's growing stature in individual recurve, defeating two South Koreans, former Olympic champion Kang Chae-young and Oh Yejin, on her way to a historic women's gold and an individual Olympic quota.

Ganesh said the Asian Games had convinced the Indian contingent that it could compete with and beat the continent's strongest archery nations, but stressed that consistency at the highest level would be crucial in the build-up to the Olympics.

"Yes, I am mostly sure that we will get a gold medal for our country. With the Asian Games, we already know that we have an upper hand on our Asian continent since we have already secured the quota.

"So, we will be directly aiming for the Olympics. And keep proving ourselves in the World Cups and World Championships to show that we are still on track," he said.

For Ganesh, who made his senior international debut at the third leg of the 2024 Asia Cup in South Korea, the journey to the Asian Games podium has been as much about institutional support as individual perseverance.

Ganesh, who switched from karate to archery, credited his school, coaches and the national archery ecosystem for helping him make the transition to the senior level, while describing the experience of representing India at the Asian Games as unforgettable.

"I would say my journey was unforgettable. And I would say that from the beginning my schools like this enthusiastic Satya School have been supporting young talent and continue to support them, along with our association.

He also acknowledged the role of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Archery Association of India (AAI), particularly their efforts to ensure adequate preparation ahead of major international competitions.

"SAI and AAI have been providing support, especially for this Asian Games. I would like to thank NTPC and SAI for giving us familiarisation and practice sessions before the main events. And for the upcoming events also, they have been planning so many and for now it has been going great," he said.

Ganesh said the emergence of young talent and the opportunity to learn from established senior athletes had also helped strengthen the country's archery programme.

"We also see the young talent coming up and the school supporting their school and it has been wonderful meeting them. Coming to senior-level athletes and taking experience from them is how I continue to grow and learn," he added.

He thanked Satya School, Gurugram for the opportunity to interact with the students and impart valuable knowledge about archery and sports in general.

"For me, the school has given me a great chance to meet the young kids. The Satya School allowed me to meet with the young kids and interact with them and tell them about my journey. It has been so much fun to be with all the kids and all the teachers and the faculty.

"The motto of Satya School is wonderful, training every child to be specifically on sports and physical activity to be mandatory. That is what made me inspired to come to this school and get inspired for myself also," he said.

Ganesh also made a case for introducing archery facilities in schools, arguing that the sport's deep-rooted place in Indian history and its growing competitive appeal should encourage wider participation.

"Archery is an indigenous sport with a rich mythological history. I don't find any reason that schools are not able to grow in there. I have seen many schools take up archery and I have seen many national champions coming up.

"We have got great grounds. Like rural areas, in the urban places it is truly possible for every athlete to pursue archery," he signed off. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed)