The yr 2023 has been a breakthrough season for the 22-year-old B. Dhiraj, who secured the nation’s first quota place in archery for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Vijaywada archer displayed his potential, securing six medals (particular person and workforce occasions) other than profitable a slot within the Games. He is raring to show his value within the French capital in lower than a yr’s time.
Hailing from a humble background, Dhiraj, who took up archery in 2006 after being guided by his father Shravan Kumar (who later labored as a technical official with the Archery Association of India) and learnt the fundamentals of the game on the Chekuri Volga Academy earlier than switching to the Army Sports Institute (Pune) in 2017, has taken his time to develop right into a world-class archer and is ready to make a mark.
In an interview with The Hindu, Dhiraj, supported by Olympic Gold Quest, seemed again on the fruitful yr and the challenges forward.
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Q: It will need to have been a proud second to earn the primary quota place for the nation in archery. You have been very constant in 2023. How do you look again at it?
A: Yes, I have carried out constantly nicely this yr regardless that there have been some ups and downs. I obtained to be taught quite a lot of issues all year long. I am completely happy that I have achieved the primary goal of profitable a quota place for the nation, however on the similar time, I am a bit upset that I misplaced within the quarterfinals of the Asian Games. In the Asian championships, we misplaced by one level (in a shoot-off) to Kazakhstan (within the males’s workforce occasion quarterfinals). But the quota place makes up for all the things and underlines the arduous work.
Q: You stated you learnt loads this yr. What have you ever learnt out of your expertise and how will this make it easier to work in your sport and enhance it?
A: Loads, really. So far, all that I had learnt until the beginning of this yr was one facet of it and this yr, I learnt the opposite facet. I learnt a number of issues — technically and mentally. I beat a couple of robust guys (together with World and Olympic medallist Brady Ellison) and misplaced some matches intently. There are a number of small issues which I learnt and when I put all the things collectively it seems to be an enormous studying curve. All this has helped me improve my sport.
Q: There had been quite a lot of tournaments and publicity journeys, together with a number of home occasions and trials, this yr. Have they helped?
A: Yes, the publicity and expertise of competing in massive occasions helps. I competed in World Cups and gained medals (one particular person and three males’s workforce medals, together with a silver). Such competitions, in high-quality fields, push you to do better. But each publicity will not be essential since you additionally need relaxation in between.
Q: Talking concerning the 2023 season, you witnessed the stunning incident of two of your arrows lacking the goal altogether throughout the Asian Games (particular person quarterfinal conflict in opposition to Kazakhstan’s Ilfat Abdullin). How did you get better from that?
A: I started with an ideal 30 within the first set and I was clean when my first arrow missed the goal within the second. It had by no means occurred to me even throughout coaching. I realised one thing went unsuitable only a fraction of a second earlier than the discharge and it was too late by then. But I thought all was not misplaced and I would battle from right here. I blocked all feelings and thought virtually. But it occurred for a second time (within the fourth set) however I held myself up and fought (earlier than dropping 6-5, through a 10-9 shoot-off). After the competitors, I broke down. I was pissed off and emotionally drained. I tried to collect myself, but it surely occurred five-six occasions and I considered quitting archery altogether. But Atanu (Das) bhaiya — my idol together with Tarundeep Rai — supported me.
When I interacted with archers of different international locations, together with one other position mannequin of mine (World and Olympic champion Kim Woo-Jin), they consoled me saying such issues do occur. My teammates additionally backed me. I tried my greatest to be prepared for the workforce occasion which occurred two days later. But I didn’t have the braveness to do my typical position of opening a set. So I requested my two fellow archers whether or not I could possibly be the final man to shoot (regardless that it was at all times a stress job)… Atanu and Tushar (Shelke) agreed instantly. When I scored a ten with my first arrow, I regained quite a lot of confidence. And we landed a workforce medal after 13 years.
In a approach, the way wherein I bounced again helped me develop a powerful mindset. I thought nothing could possibly be worse than this and if I may battle again from such a scenario, I may solely do better. As I have a look at Paris, I don’t have any apprehensions.
Q: Even although compound archers have been producing eye-catching ends in top-level occasions, together with the World championships, what’s the motive behind the recurve archers’ beneath par exhibiting in elite competitions such because the World championships and Olympics?
A: We have to perceive that our compound archers have been giving good outcomes for a very long time now. Once somebody achieves one thing and breaks the psychological barrier, good outcomes comply with. We need to try this in recurve.
The different level is compound and recurve archery are completely completely different from one another. Korea has been ruling recurve archery for ages, they’ve been on the high within the final 9 Olympics. But on this yr’s World championships, they had been nowhere (gained simply two gold medals). Several international locations have gained medals this time. This clearly offers an thought as to how the competitors has elevated.
This yr, I have gained six medals (together with particular person and workforce medals in World Cups, Asian Games and Asian championships), which is approach better than what any (male) archer has achieved up to now four-five years. Instead of evaluating your self with others, in case you evaluate your individual efficiency with that of the previous, you’ll get to know the development.
Of late, the assist from the Government, our sponsor NTPC and our federation has been good. It performs an important position in better efficiency and outcomes. If it continues and we get the correct of publicity and coaching camps, like we obtained forward of the World championships, I am positive our archers will give optimistic outcomes and we will medals at any degree of competitors.
Q: How do you intend to put together your self for the largest problem, the Paris Olympics, subsequent yr?
A: I was within the Tokyo Olympics because the fourth archer (a reserve). I have seen the super stress our three archers (Atanu, Tarundeep and Pravin Jadhav) had to cope with whereas competing. Pressure will likely be there. That’s why one wants to constantly get better technically and mentally to be prepared for that form of problem. That’s why I really feel if I evaluate my very own performances of previous and current, I have a scope for enchancment. From scoring 660-670 (throughout the qualification spherical) earlier, I improved to rating 683 within the World championships (to be second within the rankings). I realised how all of the publicity helped me elevate my sport and an athlete’s enchancment by no means stops. It goes on until the top as you by no means cease studying.
