TARGET GOLD
“Winning three silver medals in a World championship is not a joke by any means,” said archer V. Jyothi Surekha even as she reminded she had hoped to win at least one gold from the three finals in three different events she had entered in Yankton.
The Indian archer had to be content with a silver after losing to Sara Lopez of Colombia in the compound women’s individual final having earlier won two silver medals in the compound women’s team and compound mixed team events.
“The target was gold for sure. But somehow, it slipped off our hands in all three events in which we entered the finals. The weather conditions had a bearing. It was windy and it was very cold too,” the 25-year-old Surekha told Sportstar.
“Like in any world championship, the standard of competition was very high. And we were very well prepared for it,” said the gifted archer from Vijayawada, who had applied for the prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year.
The BPCL Executive said there was no pressure of expectations in the individual event final after having faltered in the preceding two team events.
“I don’t think it was the case. It was just somehow I failed to shoot as well as I should have. Anyway, I am pleased with the performances,” Surekha said.
For someone who has an amazing record in a World championship — winning six medals including two bronze and a silver in the previous editions — the star archer has set her eyes on the Asian Championship trials.
“The big target, of course, will be to win the gold in the next year’s Asian Games,” said the archer.
The engineering graduate also reminds that the World Cup gold (she has won five bronze medals and a silver in team events so far in World Cups since 201■) is one more achievement which she is still chasing. “That is one gold which I am desperate to win,” she said with a big smile.
“We (archers) are grateful to the Sports Authority of India, Archery Association of India and the Sports Ministry for all the support they have extended to us despite the pandemic,” she said.