Archers flattered to deceive once again as India still await their first medal from the discipline. Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara came agonisingly close ending fourth in the mixed team event. But that's it - the six-member team was one of the biggest disappointments of the Games for India.
Olympian Jayanta Talukdar agreed that Indian archers suffered from stage fright. "Olympic is different ball game. Handling pressure is so important and I felt our archers messed it up there," he said, explaining the 6s and 7s that some of them hit in crucial stages.
Both Talukdar and his former India teammate Rahul Banerjee were not happy with the coaching staff too. "Our coach Sonam Singh Bhutia should have done more to give the archers confidence in pressure situations," Talukdar said. Banerjee felt the shooting order in the men's team match against Turkey should have been changed. "That's a coach's call. But our person (Bhutia) was not good or bold enough to take a decision," Banerjee felt.
India's Korean coach Baek Woong Ki was denied accreditation at the Games. Most of the archers felt his presence wouldn't have made a difference. "I doubt," both Talukdar and Banerjee said, raising questions about Baek's expertise. "It's high time we focus on our coaches and youth development programme," Banerjee added.
Looking ahead Banerjee felt there should be a 'gap analysis' exercise. "AAI should have a brain-storming session with the archers as well as those who took part in past Olympics to find out where we are falling short. If it is happening again and again then there must be areas which we are not addressing," he said.
According to the London Olympian, we should go ahead with the 'Mission Olympic' motto. "The Korans always give priority to the Olympics. But we want medals in all competitions which somehow is perhaps diluting our Olympic preparation," Banerjee felt.
Olympian Atanu Das called for focus on team competition at domestic level. "We don't get to shoot in team events in national-ranking meets. But I feel we stand a better chance in team and mixed events and hence that could be given priority now," Das, the husband of Deepika, stated.
ARCHERY: ATHLETES: 6 | MEDAL: 0
