Archery
'Won't quit until I win an Olympic medal,' Deepika Kumari after Olympics exit
Deepika's 4th Olympic campaign ended after a defeat against Nam Su-Hyeon in the quarter-finals.
Deepika Kumari (Source: Getty Images)
Despite India's archery campaign falling short at the Paris Olympics, the veteran archer Deepika Kumari’s ambition remains crystal clear, an Olympic medal.
The multiple-time world champion has declared her intention to continue competing until she achieves her lifelong dream of standing atop the Olympic podium.
"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 earlier today.
"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," she said.
Despite a career adorned with international accolades, Deepika Kumari has yet to claim the ultimate prize: an Olympic medal.
Deepika’s Olympic comeback was an emotional rollercoaster. After returning from a long maternity leave she showed glimpses of her former brilliance by clinching individual gold at the Shanghai World Cup in April.
Performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics
Deepika had a rough start to her Olympic campaign after finishing 23rd in the Individual Qualifications round with a score of 658/720. Deepika had the lowest score among Indian archers in the Women’s qualifier events.
Even though the team received a bye to the quarter-finals, the Indian team lost 6-0 to the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals where Deepika’s performance was widely criticized among the netizens
Overcoming all those challenges, Deepika rose to the Occasion in the Women’s round winning multiple elimination rounds while the rest of the Indian contingent had an underwhelming performance.
Deepika delivered a stellar performance in the quarter-finals, going neck to neck with the eventual silver medalist Nam Su-Hyeon of South Korea, before bowing out on a score of 6-4, marking a disappointing end to her campaign.
"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.” Deepika revealed while asked about her future.
“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 added.
She also revealed the thing that she needs to work on for future events. "To keep myself calm, focus on my shooting form and concentration, and truly enjoy the game when I have time."
With her eyes set on the LA 2028 Olympics, she is determined.
"In the next Olympics, I want to be mentally stronger and win a medal. I want to win an Olympic medal," Deepika concluded.
