Archers to get a feel of Rio venue, in India
An archery test event in Rio.
Deepika Kumari took her position at the shooting line at the Sambodromo, Rio’s carnival stadium, and took in the breathtaking view from there. A slightly elevated target with a green background; a podium which is two feet higher than usual with stands towering on both sides; and the landscape of the city in the backdrop. Surrounded by favelas, the extremely-recognisable Christ the Redeemer is visible in the distance.
It’s one of the most surreal venues, with the image still fixed in her mind. And it’s unlikely that she, and other Indian archers, will forget how the venue for next year’s Rio Olympics looks like any time soon. The Archery Association of India (AAI) is in the process of replicating the venue at the training centres in Delhi and Jharkhand. Of course, minus the city landscape and Christ the Redeemer.
The country’s archers and AAI officials were in Rio last month for a test event in the lead up to next year’s Games and have used the eight-day event, run on a similar schedule to the Games, to familiarise themselves with the venue and logistics.
After noting down everything in minute detail, they are attempting to recreate a similar setting here.
“We took hundreds of pictures of the venue. We are trying to create a replica here by building a similar podium, adjusting the targets accordingly, the colour of the stands, grass… every possible thing,” AAI secretary general Anil Kamineni said.
Her failure in London — and subsequent collapse — is still fresh in her mind. While she blames her breakdown at Lords three years ago to not being mature enough and the inability to deal with the pressure — “I was just a kid back then,” she had said then — Deepika is hoping Rio will be a better experience.
The AAI is also hoping to rope in Orlando-based sports psychologist Lorenzo Beltram to accompany the team to the Rio Games. But Deepika knows it all boils down to that particular day. “Knowing the venue helps. But eventually, we have to execute our plans and for that, mental training is essential,” Deepika said.
On Sunday, she and rest of the Indian contingent will leave for Bangkok to take part in the Asian Championships. And for once, the focus won’t be on Deepika. The men’s recurve team, which is yet to qualify for the Games, will be under the scanner. Deepika, Rimil Buriuly and Laxmirani Manjhi have won quotas for women’s individual and team events while Mangal Singh Champia is the lone male archer who has earned a Rio berth for the country.
