Deepika crumbles under pressure, again

Rohit Mahajan
Tribune News Service
Paris, August 3
For the fourth time in four Olympics, archer Deepika Kumari’s face reflected dismay and turmoil — two terrible shots, a 6 and a 7 in the second and fourth sets, crushed her hope of an Olympics medal. One couldn’t help but feel that Deepika was much more disappointed 12 years ago at London 2012, her first Olympics — it’s possible that a series of disappointments has hardened her, made her come to terms with her fate as an Olympics also-ran.
Deepika made two crucial mistakes in the quarterfinal match against South Korea’s Suhyeon Nam, whom she had beaten at the Shanghai World Cup in April, when the Indian won a silver.
In archery circles, the adage goes that a Korean archer wins half the battle just by showing up, such is their reputation — their archers had won 27 Olympics gold medals before Paris 2024.
Egged on by Indian fans — shouting their lungs out with ‘Jeetega bhai jeetega, India jeetega’ — at the Invalides arena close to the National Assembly, Deepika started brilliantly. She shot 9, 10, 9 against Suhyeon’s 10, 8, 8 in the first set to take a 2-0 lead. In the second set, Deepika shot a terrible second arrow, worth a 6.
After two decades of shooting arrows, how in the name of heavens can you shoot a 6 at the Olympics?
Purnima Mahato, the Indian coach, said Deepika had run out of time — you have to shoot within 20 seconds when the buzzer goes off. “I was counting behind her, but she delayed the shot,” said Purnima. “She then shot quickly, with more force, and that spoiled her shot.”
The score was now equal at 2-2; in the third set, Deepika shot remarkably well, for 10, 9, 10, and took a 4-2 lead as Suhyeon shot 10, 9, 9.
Again in the lead, Deepika faltered once more — a terrible 7 on the second arrow. This, said Purnima, was due to the 6 she’d shot in the second set. “Now, she released the arrow too early,” said Purnima. Deepika, the delayed second shot in the second set on her mind, acted with too much alacrity, she said.
Fifth set, make or break; the Korean teenager, as if made of steel, shot 10, 9, 10 — Deepika had to hit a perfect 10, 10, 10 to win the set and remain in the game, but she could come up with only three nines. Deepika’s face fell, the sad and rueful smile returned, the Indians in the crowd lost their voice, the Koreans went crazy.
“I lost because one arrow I held (for too long), and delayed one shot,” Deepika, 30, said. Deepika shot six 10s and seven 9s in her 15 arrows in three sets; Suhyeon had seven 10s and six 9s.
Deepika’s two worst arrows, 6 and 7, did her in.
Deepika said she couldn’t figure out why this happens to her at the Olympics. “I put myself under too much pressure, that I have to win a medal,” she said. “Sometimes, the atmosphere, the crowd, matters… It seemed I gifted her the match.”
Does she ever get overawed at the prospect of facing a Korean? “Many people are fearful when it’s a Korean opponent next,” she said. “But it’s not so (for me). They can’t score more than 30 (in three shots), and if I do well, I’d match them.”
Not today in Paris, no. Deepika has now set her sight on Los Angeles 2028.
Suhyeon won silver, behind another Korean, Sihyeon Lim.