VIJAYAWADA: For Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru, archery began with a moment of curiosity in 2016. Ten years later, the 20-year-old has won gold at his maiden Asian Games, turning that early interest into a sporting career that has taken him to the international stage.
“This is a great and proud moment for India. I feel so honoured to win this medal. It was possible because of my parents, coaches and everyone who supported me throughout this journey,” Ganesh said.
His introduction to the sport came when his first coach, Siva Sankar, demonstrated archery in Naidupeta. Ganesh had initially taken up karate, but the demonstration in August 2016 changed his plans. He soon acquired his first compound bow and began training seriously.
What followed was years of practice, competitions and learning to handle the demands of a sport in which every shot matters. Ganesh credits his father with helping him pursue archery professionally, along with the support he received from his school and coaches.
“My first international competition was the Youth World Championships in 2023, where I won silver. Since then, there has been a lot to learn and improve,” he said.
The Asian Games, however, brought a different kind of pressure. Competing at his first edition of the event, Ganesh had to put years of training into practice while managing the expectations that come with representing the country.
“Archery is a sport where there is a lot of pressure on the individual. Shooting in that situation can be complicated. We are fortunate to have the right coaches and staff who keep us composed and guide us through the pressure. We have trained for this, and we executed our plans and gave our best,” he said.
For Ganesh, standing on the podium with a gold medal was a moment he had long worked towards. “Standing on the podium felt surreal. It was a dream come true,” he said.
His coaches have witnessed the hard work behind that moment. Siva Sankar remembers a young student who willingly spent extra hours practising, driven by his interest in the sport. Watching him progress from school-level competitions to international success has been a proud moment for Sankar. Kamal, who has trained Ganesh for the past five years, has witnessed another side of that growth. When they began working together, Ganesh was in Class 11. Along with improving his physical fitness, their training focused on building consistency, concentration and discipline.
“He is always sincere, but over the years, he has become much more focused. He does not waste time. We have worked step by step, and his maturity has grown,” Kamal said.
He also highlighted the significance of Ganesh’s individual bronze at the Asian Games, which marked the first time an Indian archer won an individual medal in compound archery at the continental event. For Kamal, seeing the young archer reach this milestone after five years of working together made the achievement all the more special. Their bond has also developed through years of training together, with both pushing each other to remain committed. Kamal said Ganesh had continued to represent India over the past five years, with his medal tally growing along the way.
Ganesh is already looking ahead. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind, he hopes to make the most of the upcoming archery competitions before the selection trials. “The Olympics is the ultimate goal for every athlete. I will keep working towards it. There are more competitions coming up, and all my practice is for that big win,” he said.
He is equally grateful to the people who helped him believe in that possibility, particularly coach Satyanarayana, whose faith in him strengthened his confidence.
A decade after he first picked up a bow, Ganesh has a gold medal and a world record to show for his journey so far.
For him, however, the achievement is also a reminder of the people who stood beside him, the hard work that brought him this far and the goals that still lie ahead.