After missing a medal in two successive Olympics, can archer Deepika Kumari break the jinx in Tokyo?

India’s world number one Deepika Kumari is considered the favorite for a medal in the women’s individual recurve event at the Tokyo Olympics. While this sounds good in theory, things will be different on the ground, a national archery coach told Sportskeeda on condition of anonymity.

“Results of the previous two editions of the Olympic Games suggest that Deepika has a tendency to wilt under pressure. Will Deepika live up to expectations in her third Olympics? We have our fingers crossed,” the coach said.

According to an official of the Archery Association of India (AAI), Deepika was also fancied to win medals at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. However, she failed to impress both times.

Speaking about the unpredictable nature of the event, the official said:

“This time too Deepika has the favorite tag. But we aren't taking things for granted.”

According to another senior coach associated with the Olympic preparations, Deepika’s gold-winning performance at the Paris World Cup in June was a good confidence-building exercise, but the pressure of competing at the Olympics is entirely different.

Speaking with Sportskeeda, the coach said:

“Paris was a good platform to evaluate performance. But we can’t ignore the fact that the field wasn’t strong. The formidable South Koreans were among those who skipped the Paris World Cup.”

Why are Koreans considered a formidable side? According to the coach, the domestic competition in Korea is very tough.

“The top 10 to 15 archers are of the same caliber. It is difficult to point out who will make the cut for the national team. The system makes the Koreans tough. When Koreans compete at the Olympics or major world competitions outside their country, they don’t feel the pressure as they have been toughened by their domestic system,” the coach said.

Deepika Kumari at the Archery World Cup Grand Final, 2010

In India, the coach said, archery is growing. There is quantity but no quality.

He added:

“Deepika doesn’t face tough opponents at the national selection trials. An easy win at home doesn’t make her mentally tough. When she faces a challenging situation at the Olympics, she struggles.”

Quality competition is the right way to excel at the Olympics, suggested the coach.

“If there are ten archers of Deepika’s caliber in India, the one who represents India at the Olympics will be much tougher.”

In events such as archery, where local weather conditions also play an important role, the coach said it is difficult to predict who will emerge the winner.

“Local weather conditions on a given day matter a lot. Performance in the qualification round and opponents in the final draw are the other factors. How the archer reacts at each step is what makes the difference between a winner and loser at the Olympics.”

The four-member recurve archery team has reached Tokyo, but without a sports psychologist.

“Due to the pandemic, the coaching staff can’t exceed 33 percent of the team. Since four archers have qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games, we had the option of sending one coach and one physio,” said Pramod Chandurkar, secretary general of the AAI.

The team physio is important as archery is a strenuous activi, he added.

“It might take more than five hours during the qualification round. Physio will help loosen up tight muscles for the next round.”