India's star archer Deepika Kumari bagged a silver medal at the Archery World Cup Final 2024. This is her sixth World Cup medal. Kumari secured second place after China’s Li Jiaman won 6-0 in the championship round on October 20.
“It’s an honour to be part of this World Cup, to win a medal in this World Cup. Now, I’m going to work even harder after that,” said Kumari in a heartfelt post-match presentation.
Deepika Kumari At Paris Olympics 2024
Earlier in August, India's ace archer Deepika Kumari narrowly missed qualification for the Paris Games semi-final on August 3 as she was defeated by South Korea's Nam Su-hyeon 6-4. Despite the loss, she expressed confidence in returning to the Olympic stage at the LA Games 2028 and winning a medal for India. "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 told the Press Trust of India. Deepika's journey to the Paris Games, her fourth Olympics, is a testament to her resilience and determination.
Deepika Kumari's commitment to achieving success in the world’s most prestigious sporting event was evident when she stayed away from her daughter for two months to focus on her training. "It’s difficult to explain the pain of being away from my daughter. But it’s also about achieving what we have worked for over so many years,” Deepika shared in an exclusive interview with PTI.
Just before her departure to Paris, her husband, Atanu Das, who is also an international archer, brought Vedika to the Army Sports Institute in Pune. This emotional reunion was bittersweet for Deepika. "I miss her a lot, but that’s how it is. Thankfully, she has been really supportive and has adapted well to my in-laws and Atanu,” she added.
Deepika's struggles began right after giving birth to her daughter in December 2022. She experienced muscle stiffness, making it nearly impossible to lift her 19-kg bow. "We had planned for the delivery in such a way that we would be able to compete in Paris. But it was like starting from zero after the delivery, Forget about shooting or lifting the bow; she was not able to do even simple daily chores," Atanu recalled.
Paris holds special memories for Deepika, where she previously won multiple gold medals in World Cup events. Throughout her journey, Deepika has had the unwavering support of her husband, Atanu, who will be taking care of their daughter while she competes in Paris. "He has a greater responsibility—to take care of Vedika," Deepika said with a smile, clutching an empty bag gifted by her husband. “I’ve told her she must win the medal and bring it back in this bag,” Atanu added.
Who Is Deepika Kumari?
The 30-year-old archer secured a position for herself in the quarterfinals of women’s archery singles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The daughter of a rickshaw driver and former nurse in a small village named Ram Chatti near the capital of Ranchi, Kumari took an early interest within the sport of aim and shoot. Lacking adequate facilities and equipment to play out her aspirations, she armed herself with stones to practice hitting mangoes off trees.
“Wahan pe ladkiyan kuch karti hi nahi hain. Jo unke parents hai, 18 saal ki ho jaati hai toh shaadi karke bhej dete hain,” Kumari, in Netflix documentary Ladies First, said recounting life as a small-town girl.
Kumari comes from a humble home. Her father often says that no work is big or small. He used to be a tempo driver and managed to make his income through that. He has been a big inspiration for Kumari, who believes in hard work and sincerity.
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