Latest news with #DeepikaKumari
The Hindu
a day ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
‘#Let's Move + 1, India!' to be the theme for Olympic Day run on June 23
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Reliance Foundation will celebrate the Olympic Day on June 23 across the country, with the theme #Let's Move + 1, India ! The theme highlights the joy and motivation of moving together, inviting people across India to experience the power of sport to boost both physical and mental health. The focus will be on the benefits of playing sport or working out with someone else, encouraging people to bring a friend, sibling, colleague, family member. As part of the celebration, 50 sports venues across the country will open their doors to the public for free, with paired sessions in football, padel, cricket, badminton and pickleball. As part of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), schools across the nation can join the movement. Already, over 10 million children have had a positive experience through the OVEP in Chandigarh, Odisha and Assam, through the efforts of Abhinav Bindra Foundation. 'Through OVEP and the inaugural 'Let's Move' campaign, we have witnessed how sport can inspire, uplift and empower the next generation. Let's Move + 1, carries this spirit forward, reminding us that sport is not just about physical strength, it is about fostering connection, mutual support and a shared sense of purpose,' said Abhinav Bindra. 'Sport has given me strength, taught me resilience and opened opportunities. It has shown me the value of having someone in your corner, to lift you up, to help you focus, to bring joy to the journey. That is why I am excited to invite young people to move with me, and share everything that sport brings,' said four-time Olympian archer, Deepika Kumari, supported by Reliance Foundation.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
World archery championships: Dhiraj, Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and compound archer V. Jyothi to compete
Reigning compound individual World champions Ojas Deotale and Aditi Swami, Asian Games silver medallist Abhishek Verma and Olympian recurve archers Atanu Das and Bhajan Kaur have missed out on berths in the Indian team for the World archery championships, to be held in Gwangju, South Korea, from September 5 to 12. Paris Olympians B. Dhiraj, Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat and multiple Worlds medallist compound archer V. Jyothi Surekha were among those who finished inside the top three in the selection trials held at the Army Sports Institute, Pune. The country can field a maximum of three archers in each category. Youngsters Neeraj Chauhan (who beat Dhiraj in the elimination stage), Rahul and Gatha Khadake (who saw off Bhajan in elimination) gave impressive performances through the multi-format trials to earn coveted slots. Archers finishing fourth in the trials will join the top three for the World Cup Stage-4 in Madrid from July 8 to 13. It is learnt that in case a top-three archer's performance drops drastically in Madrid, the Archery Association of India (AAI) may consider replacing him/her with the fourth-placed athlete in that particular category for the World championships. A final decision on this is awaited. Top-four archers: Recurve: Men: 1. B. Dhiraj, 2. Neeraj Chauhan, 3. Rahul, 4. Tarundeep Rai; Women: 1. Deepika Kumari, 2. Ankita Bhakat, 3. Gatha Khadake, 4. Sharvari Shende. Compound: Men: 1. Aman Saini, 2. Prathamesh Fuge, 3. Rishabh Yadav, 4. Priyansh; Women: 1. V. Jyothi Surekha, 2. Parneet Kaur, 3. Prithika Pradeep, 4. Taniparthi Chikitha.
News18
07-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
India's Archery Team Misses Medals At World Cup In Antalya, Raises Concerns
Last Updated: India's archery team failed to win medals at Stage 3 of the World Cup in Antalya, raising concerns about team selection and preparation as even star archers underperformed. Indian archery experienced a disappointing outcome at Stage 3 of the World Cup on Saturday, failing to secure any medals. This performance has raised serious concerns about team selection, preparation, and mental resilience, particularly with the Asian Games approaching in a year. The success in Shanghai last month, where India ranked second in the medal tally with two gold, one silver, and four bronze medals, now appears distant. In Antalya, both recurve and compound archers underperformed, failing to achieve a single podium finish, even in their traditionally strong compound category. Following the compound archers' elimination in both individual and team events, the recurve results proved equally disappointing. Even seasoned archers like four-time Olympians Deepika Kumari and Tarundeep Rai failed to progress to the medal rounds. Simranjeet Kaur demonstrated some resilience, pushing Korean Olympic gold medallist An San to a shoot-off in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Despite narrowly qualifying in 54th place with the third-lowest qualification score, she held a 5-3 lead and required just one point to secure victory against An San. However, succumbing to pressure in the final set, she lost 5-6 (29-28, 24-29, 27-24, 27-27, 23-29) (8-11). Deepika Kumari also faced setbacks, with An San defeating her three times, dashing her hopes for a consecutive medal after winning bronze in Shanghai last month. Deepika, a former world number one, continues to struggle against top-tier opponents. Ankita Bhakat, India's highest-ranked archer in qualification at 32nd, lost in the first round 2-6 (27-26, 26-28, 29-30, 28-29) to Dunya Yenhihayat, despite an initial 2-0 lead. The men fared no better. Parth Salunkhe, a former youth world champion and Shanghai bronze medallist, exited in the first round, losing to Lu Shuai of China 2-6 (28-29, 25-28, 28-25, 27-30). At 41, Tarundeep Rai's selection appears questionable, following his 2-6 defeat to Germany's Mathias Kramer (28-30, 29-28, 27-31, 29-32). Seasoned competitor Atanu Das, after establishing a 4-2 lead, lost to world number one Brady Ellison 4-6 (28-27, 30-31, 31-30, 30-31, 27-30). Dhiraj Bommadevara, India's top qualifier at 13th, also relinquished a 4-2 advantage, losing 4-6 (30-30, 30-30, 31-30, 28-29, 28-30) to Chinese Taipei's Tang Chin-Chun. India's campaign in Antalya concluded without a medal. The closest the team came to a podium finish was in the recurve men's and compound women's team events, where both teams lost their respective bronze medal matches. The compound women's team narrowly lost 238-239 to the USA. The recurve men's team was defeated 1-5 by France. The compound men's team, once among the world's elite, suffered a first-round exit. The compound mixed team also struggled, exiting in the quarter-finals. In the recurve mixed team event, they failed to progress beyond the first round. The recurve women's team, despite a promising start, lost in the quarter-finals. In the individual compound category, Rishabh Yadav and Madhura Dhamangaonkar reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated. A significant concern for India is the declining form of top-ranked compound archers Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam. Jyothi, consistently a podium finisher until 2023, exited in the second round of 32, extending her medal drought beyond a year. Her last medal was gold at the Shanghai World Cup in April. Since then, the Asian Games gold medallist has experienced a downturn in performance. Two-time Asian Games silver medallist Verma was eliminated in the round of 16 by teammate Rishabh Yadav. Verma has not won a medal since June 2023, when he secured gold in Medellin. Questions will arise regarding team selection, particularly the continued inclusion of Rai, who has demonstrated limited capability in high-pressure situations. Deepika continues to struggle against elite competitors, especially Koreans. With emerging archers like Simranjeet showing potential, India's archery programme requires a comprehensive review, starting with bolder selection policies and urgent mental conditioning. With the Asian Games and the LA Olympics on the horizon, India's archery system must engage in introspection. Recurve archery remains trapped in a cycle of promise and disappointment, while India's dominance in compound archery is waning. This is concerning given the discipline's planned debut at the LA 2028 Olympics as a mixed team event. Ironically, South Korea, a recurve powerhouse with 43 Olympic medals, is now also making strides in compound archery. In Antalya, they won silver in the women's team event and bronze in the men's, highlighting their progress. Han Seungyeon, who topped the qualification round, is also positioned to win her first World Cup gold medal. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Antalya First Published: News sports India's Archery Team Misses Medals At World Cup In Antalya, Raises Concerns
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'I'd be the biggest fool if ... ': Olympian Deepika Kumari on criticism, her legacy, and more
Deepika Kumari (Photo by) NEW DELHI: If archery is where calm meets chaos in the span of a heartbeat, then Deepika Kumari has long been India's most trusted arrow. Last month in Shanghai, she proved once again that her aim is far from fading. "Getting my hands on the medal — I see this as an improvement," Deepika tells after clinching her 18th individual World Cup medal at the Stage 2 event. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The knockout rounds brought familiar foes, with Deepika stumbling in the semifinal against Olympic champion Lim Sihyeon. But she didn't stay down for long, returning to outshoot former world champion Kang Chaeyoung 7-3 to secure bronze. HUNGER FOR AN OLYMPIC MEDAL "I feel very proud. I think I've contributed something to Indian archery. People say, 'Because of you, archery became known.' But until I win an Olympic medal, I won't feel I've truly proven myself," said the four-time Olympian. Deepika's participation in four Olympics has seen her reach the quarterfinals in both the Tokyo and Paris editions — her best individual finishes at the Games to date. Heartbreaks, needless to say, have often been her companion on the sport's biggest stages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like nhà container: Xu hướng nhà ở hiện đại và bền vững 2025 Visionary Echo Tìm Ngay Undo The Olympic dream, however, is not a closed chapter. "Dealing with Olympic heartbreak in Paris? I dealt with it the next day. I just moved on, thinking the next time I play in the Olympics, I'll definitely win a medal," she says, eyes set on LA 2028. 'I'D BE THE BIGGEST FOOL IF...' The pressure doesn't end at the archery range; off the field, backlash often follows — fuelled by a nation's Olympic hopes that sometimes tip into harsh judgment. Deepika, in a world of instant opinions, has learned to filter out the static: "Why give answers to those who don't know anything? If someone doesn't know me, hasn't seen me struggle, why bother reacting? If someone doesn't even know me and I carry their opinion around, I'd be the biggest fool. Deepika Kumari of India (Photo by Dean Alberga/Handout/World Archery Federation via Getty Images ) 'They say, 'You're just standing and shooting.' I tell them: you try standing for eight hours. Now add pulling 22 kilos of force, 350–400 times a day. In 45°C heat. Then tell me it's just standing and shooting.' The bow itself weighs 3.5 to 4 kg, and the demands aren't just muscular. As the veteran adds, 'You can't rely only on body strength. You need the control of mind while drawing the bow — it must be balanced. Without proper training, kids today are injuring themselves trying to lift too much, too fast. We used to believe rest wasn't part of training. Now I know how important rest is.' NEW COACH, NEWER MOTIVATION With a new coach, Olympian Rahul Banerjee , and support from the Reliance Foundation, Deepika is now rewiring from the ground up. Yes, even a veteran sometimes needs to go back to the basics, and Deepika is currently doing just that. Recalling her early academy days, Deepika continues, "In India, we're constantly compared to Koreans, who've had a structured system from childhood. But in our country, expectations are high, and patience is lacking. "Like when I went to an academy, I was told, 'If you don't perform within the next six months, you'll be removed.' So it's the same everywhere — limited time, less funding. They expect performance instantly. "Then players forget to build the base as they are forced into bettering their performance. In India, there's still a lack of knowledge at the grassroots, especially about the basics. So I'm focusing on rebuilding my base from scratch." For many, just affording the sport is a mountain, as post-pandemic inflation has hit archery gear hard. "After COVID, equipment costs have gone up a lot. A good archery set-up can cost around 5.5 lakh INR (approx. $6500). You can get basic equipment for 2 to 2.5 lakh, but those will not be of international standard," she reveals. All eyes on the LA 2028 Olympics While the LA 2028 Olympics might still be a few chapters away, Deepika is excited about the introduction of compound archery — a discipline where Indian archers have excelled over the years. "If medal chances increase, our country benefits," she adds. ALSO READ: Indian farm girl who picked up gun at 13, now recovering Olympic heartbreak: The Maheshwari Chauhan story "In compound archery, we shoot with triggers and more mechanical aid. In recurve, it's all manual. Even a small mistake can cost a lot. In compound, the trigger helps." Nevertheless, before LA, Deepika's focus is on the remaining World Cups, the national trials, and the Asian Games next year. "My coach and I have been trying a new approach. We're blending his experience with my style. I want to become the senior world champion," she sighs.
Indian Express
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Archery World Cup 2025: Deepika Kumari wins 12th Individual medal; Parth wins maiden medal
Indian recurve archers Deepika Kumari and Parth Salunkhe ended the 2025, Shanghai World Cup with bronze medals in their respective categories in Shanghai, China, on Sunday. Deepika defeated Kang Chaeyoung of Korea in the bronze medal match while Parth defeated Baptiste Addis of France. This was India's first medal of the year in the women's recurve category, whereas Parth confirmed India's second consecutive medal in men's recurve after Dhiraj's bronze at the Florida World Cup last month. Veteran archer Deepika Kumari won her 12th Individual medal after a close finish against Kang, scoring two brilliant final sets of perfect 30 and 29, respectively. Deepika denied Korean team a clean sweep in the category with this bronze medal win over Kang. 'I didn't expect anything from me. My mission is different. That is very important for me because there is a different environment, a different feeling, a little anxiety, a little happiness. I want to achieve that [gold] in that place,' said the Olympian archer to World Archery. Earlier, she had a tough loss (1-7) in the semi-final against Paris Olympic champion Lim Sihyeon of South Korea, to miss out on her fifth individual World Cup title. Current U21 World champion Parth Salunkhe won his maiden World Cup medal after defeating Paris Olympic medalist Baptiste in the bronze medal match. Parth had a poor start to the day as he lost to the Paris Olympic champion Kin Woo Jin of South Korea. It was a tight semi-final as Parth made a comeback after losing the first two games but couldn't win the match and shot a 7 in the deciding set to lose 4-6. He faced a similar situation in the bronze medal match as the scores were tied at 4-4 but this time he shot two consecutive 10s to clinch the bronze medal. With these two medals in the recurve category, India ended the 2025 Shanghai World Cup with seven Medals – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals. Gold – Madhura Dhamangaonkar – Women's Individual Compound; Ojas Deotale, Abhishek Verma, and Rishabh Yadav – Men's compound team Silver – Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Madhura Dhamangaonkar – Women's compound team Bronze – Abhishek Verma and Madhura Dhamangaonkar – Mixed Team Compound Bronze; Deepika Kumari – Women's Individual Recurve Bronze ; Parth Salunkhe – Men's Individual Recurve Bronze ; Rishabh Yadav – Men's Individual Compound
