Quiver full of hope
Archers to benefit from the addition of physiotherapist and psychologist to the support staff.
CONTRARY to the popular belief that archery is all about taking an aim and shooting at the target,physiotherapist Nikhil Latey believes the sport calls for a perfect blend of strength and stability in order to succeed at the highest level.
“The bow itself weighs two kilograms,and the archers need to apply a minimum of 20 kilograms of pressure to pull the string,” Latey,who is associated with Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ),said. “They shoot around 400-500 arrows a day,and that requires a lot of strength. On top of handling the weight,they also have to aim at a target which is as big as a two-rupee coin.”
If Latey is to be believed,it was this strain that proved to be one of the factors that played a role in the Indian archery contingent’s debacle at the London Olympics last year. “We felt that we needed a physiotherapist,” concurs archer Jayanta Talukdar. “The bow we used was very heavy and the string was hard to pull. We always got tired,especially our shoulders and necks.” He further went on to mention that,along with the physical stress that hindered the athletes’ performance,the mental strain too played a big role. “We had a low score after the ranking round on the first day,” he said. “We were under a lot of pressure but were still hoping to get back. But for that we needed a psychologist to help us.”
Young Deepika Kumari,who went into the Olympics ranked first in the world,felt a different kind of mental pressure. “This was the first time I have seen such a large crowd and so many media personnel present,” she explained. “I normally don’t bother about the ranking when I play,but I got nervous when so many people kept asking me questions about it.”
The duo also lamented the fact that they did not have enough time to practice as they received their equipment just a week before the Olympics. While they were not acclimatised with the London winds,the coaching too was a problem. The national coach,Korea’s Lim Chae Woong was not present with the team in London. “The coach knew us very well,” said Talukdar. “He knew our technique and if there were problems,he knew which part I needed to concentrate on.”
Instead,the team was accompanied by Limba Ram,who Talukdar described to be more as the team’s trainer. “We had some problems when the arrow was going left and right. He told us to concentrate. We were concentrating,but we didn’t know where and in which part,” concluded Talukdar.
Both Talukdar and Kumari have moved on from the unsuccessful Olympic campaign and hope to learn from their mistakes in time for the upcoming tournaments. The World Championships in Turkey (September 29 to October 6) is the first major tournament they will compete in,followed by the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon. Archery hasn’t has been included in the 2014 Commonwealth Games programme. Olympic Gold Quest has taken the duo under its wings in order to assist their preparation.
For India captain and Arjuna Awardee Viren Rasquinha,who is OGQ’s COO,stated that the group strives to provide the archers with expert coaches,top quality equipment,a physiotherapist and a psychologist at all times. “The sports ministry and Archery Association of India gave them a base for their sport,but there are always small elements which aren’t addressed,” said Rasquinha. “I’m happy they have joined us and I think we need to make the most of everyday we get.” The long term goal,according to Rasquinha,is the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and he hopes that,with the failures of London behind them,the athletes will be able to bring home a medal in 2016.
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