Deepika beats the best,wins World Cup gold

The Ranchi-born archer’s achievement was commendable not only because of the gold but also because of the stature of the opponent she had beaten. The experienced Lee,who apart from being a team gold-medallist at Athens Olympics,has also won the world championship in the past.

Deepika and her team mates have come very close to beating the mighty Koreans. But they have fallen short in all but one attempt.

The only exception being the win over the Koreans at the 2011 World Championships in Turin,where they came out on top with a 216-212 in the semi-finals of the team event. When they defeated the Koreans in Italy,they also booked their Olympic berths.

In the last World Cup held in Shanghai early this month,the Indian girls had once again finished second best to the Koreans,going down tamely 212-222. But in one-on-one contests the Indians had a worrying tendency to falter. Deepika’s gold will serve as a confidence booster.

On Saturday,the Korean was in fine form. She started the first set with a perfect score of 30 – bagging 10 points with each of her first three arrows,while Deepika could only manage 27. But the teenager hit back in the second to win it 29-27. Lee then bagged the third again but Deepika held her nerve to take the next two sets — 27-26 28-27.

Though Deepika has won events in the past — the Cadet World Championship (2009),the Junior World Championship (2011),the Asian Grand Prix (2011),the Commonwealth Games gold medal — the gold medal she won on Saturday proved that she is on way to becoming one of the best in the world.

No nervous pangs

Deepika said that overcoming nerves when up against the Koreans was the key. “We Indians get nervous the moment we have to play a medal round against the Koreans. But today I wasn’t nervous. I always knew I had a chance even after losing the first set. I am very happy,” Deepika told The Sunday Express.

Interestingly,in order to beat the Koreans,Deepika along with Jayanta Talukdar had spent a good part of March in Korea,where apart from training,they also closely watched selection trials of the home team. “It was a good experience. Though we didn’t get to practice with their senior teams,the stint in Korea definitely helped us a lot,” Deepika,who will turn 18 next month,added.

While Deepika was contesting the final set in Antlya,India coach Poornima Mahto kept her fingers crossed and prayed that the rising star broke her jinx of bagging silvers.

Last year at the Ogden,USA World Cup,Deepika had won three silver medals by finishing second in the team,individual and mixed team event. “Lee needed to score a ten in the last arrow to win it. But I guess she felt the pressure and hit an 8. For a moment I thought we were heading into a tie-breaker. It was high time Deepika won a World Cup gold. Thank God,” Mahto said.

On Sunday,the Indian men’s team comprising Jayanta Talukdar,Rahul Banerjee and Tarundeep Rai will take on Great Britain in the team final.