NAGOYA: Nagoya was rebuilt on rubble that World War II left. The entire city was attacked several times because of its strategic importance. During the war, it built aircraft engines and combat planes. America dropped more than 14000 tonnes of bombs, flattened the city including the iconic Nagoya Castle. What was even more astonishing was its rise from the dust. From the ruins rose one of the most planned industrial cities of Japan, nay the world.
On the outskirts of the city is Okazaki. Known as the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified Japan during the Edo period. It's part of the Aichi Prefecture seeped in history. On these hallowed grounds, three women from India was creating their own slice of history – in archery. Like Nagoya, the team was built on the ruins of Indian women's dismal showing at the Paris Olympics two years ago. Year after year, the team had flattered to deceive. Bronze was the best result at the Asian Games.
All of that was going to change. The team members had changed and the focus was on a mix of young archers and experienced ones. It is poetic that the entire team united as a whole to win gold at the Asian Games – India's first-ever in recurve.
The women who made it possible are Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Anil Mohod and Kirti. They did not flinch like their seniors in the earlier Games. Recurve is much more competitive than compound and South Korea is the platinum standard. Korea are the 10-time Olympic champions in recurve archery and this was one of those rare occasions they had missed out. The team comprising Kang Chae-yong, Lee Yun-ji and Oh Ye-jin lost 3-5 on the day. Unexpected for India? No, not at all.
There were signs. Just like Nagoya, the team was rebuilt from scratch. That's why one can see a player as young as Kumkum, who is 17, and senior member Ankita at 28.
Borrowed bows
One can go on about the team's immaculate focus but the story is also about Kumkum. Her mother is a sweetbox maker and she had been training with borrowed bows until she found a place in the India team. She was the one who anchored the team on the day to pull off a Goliath feat in the final. She was not nervous. It was the process she followed with an archer's precision.
Kumkum has had trouble pursuing the sport. She competed with the borrowed bows for five years before making the India team. She has a self-enforced social media blackout and meticulously jots down every detail in a journal, a mental exercise to help prepare for the big occasions.
Her coach Prafull Dangre of Radheya Archery Academy helped her foster her dream.
The three headed to Japan to enjoy themselves. No undue pressure of expectations, only belief in themselves and the process they have been following over the years.
One Korean mediaperson asked the players about Indian archery and why they are so strong. It is a reflection of how India have performed here at the Okazaki sports centre. The world has taken notice and next time when India steps on the platform, they will always be counted as one of the favourites.
"It is a culmination of our hard work and intense practice," Ankita said in the mixed zone. The team has been performing well with new players in the mix. Arrows are not spraying across the arena when the final shot is released.
"Before the final, we sat for 20 minutes, and no one even discussed Korea. We only focussed on our own performance," said Kirti. Psychologists and physios in the team worked overtime with all the players. It showed too. Counselling after every game to recover was a must. Kirti was down after the first game. She had shot 7, not an ideal situation for an archer to be. That's where psychologists came in.
"Our day starts with psychology and physiotherapy sessions," said Kirti. "They guide us every single day through breathing exercises, meditation, and mental preparation for high-pressure situations. She helped me after my first game. Through breathing exercises I could control my emotions and heart beat, which is crucial for archery.”
Shooting 400-450 arrows a day has been a regular exercise. Their preparations were planned to a T.
Simulations and match-like situations over and over again for one month can fortify the brain and muscles. That's how the team prepared. There was wind on Friday. From three o'clock, archers were aiming at nine o'clock. Arrows flew uncontrollably when the wind was strong but usually under control.
"We have trained for all conditions and we knew what to do," Kirti said. Sports Authority of India converted their training centre in Sonepat into a competition venue. That helped.
"It is a huge achievement," Kumkum said. "Right from the first day of this year, I felt that I was going to win this medal, get selected for the Asian Games, and perform very well. Just as I used to manifest and visualize everything happening, today's (Friday) situation needed a 10 to win—a situation I had already visualized, which is why it happened today."
Ankita said training together helped. "For example, stretching, mental training — we decided from the beginning that we would do everything together," she said. "And not just recurve or compound separately — everyone together, recurve and compound all together. Even after coming here, sometimes during competitions people stop doing those things because of a lack of time or wanting to do other things, but this time we decided that whatever we were doing there, we would make time to do it here as well, but together."
The gold medal is yet to sink in. Kumkum was oblivious to what the medal meant to her. She knew it was big but beyond that there was no emotion in her words as if she had done something routine. "I always visualise this and it's happened,” she said. "It's part of the process."
The mixed team featuring Kumkum and Dhiraj Bommadevara won the silver after losing to China in the final. The men's team finished with silver after losing to South Korea.
Archery has been one of the biggest revival stories in Indian sports. And it is a step in the right direction ahead of the LA28 Olympics.
