Paris Olympics: Indian Archers aim to end longstanding Medal drought

India has sent a full-strength squad to the Paris Olympics for the first time since 2012. The opening ceremony is on Saturday, but Indian archers will start competing on Friday. Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, Bhajan Kaur, Pravin Jadhav, Tarundeep Rai, and Dhiraj Bommadevara will participate in the individual ranking rounds. Archery events will run from July 25 to August 4.

Experienced archers

Deepika Kumari: This is Deepika Kumari's fourth Olympics. After taking a break in late 2022 to become a mother, she made a strong comeback, winning silver at the World Cup Stage-1 in Shanghai this April. Her consistent performances since the 2012 London Olympics have made her a key player in Indian archery.

Tarundeep Rai: Also making his fourth Olympic appearance, 40-year-old Tarundeep Rai has had a successful career with two World Championship silver medals and several other medals in World Cups and Asian Games. However, an Olympic medal has eluded him. He aims to change that in what he calls a "now-or-never" situation.

Pravin Jadhav: Jadhav, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics, has shown his potential by finishing above senior archers in ranking rounds and winning silver at the Asian Archery Championship. He was also part of the men's team that won gold at the 2024 Archery World Cup in Shanghai, India's first in 14 years.

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Promising debutants

Dhiraj Bommadevara: At 22, Dhiraj is making his Olympic debut. He won gold at the World Archer Youth Championships in 2021 and was part of the men's team that won silver at the 2023 Asian Games. He also contributed to India’s first men's team gold in 14 years at the World Cup in Shanghai.

Ankita Bhakat: Ankita, 26, is also debuting at the Olympics. She gained attention by winning gold in the mixed team event at the 2017 youth archery World Championships. She was part of the Indian women's team that won bronze at the Asian Games.

Bhajan Kaur: The youngest member at 18, Bhajan secured her Olympic spot by winning gold at the final qualifier in Antalya, Turkey. She was part of the women's team that won bronze at the 2023 Asian Games and has also earned bronze at the youth World Championships in 2023.

India's archery team is set for an exciting start at the Paris Olympics, aiming to win medals and make the country proud.