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Deepika Kumari seeks to bury London ghosts with Asiad medal
The unpleasant memories of 2012 Olympics still fresh in her minds, Indian archery's blue-eyed girl Deepika Kumari is desperate to bury the ghosts of London with a medal-winning display in the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon.
The unpleasant memories of 2012 Olympics still fresh in her minds, Indian archery's blue-eyed girl Deepika Kumari is desperate to bury the ghosts of London with a medal-winning display in the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon.
Touted as India's biggest medal hope in London, the then World No. 1 Deepika crashed out in the first round of the women's individual recurve event.
And talk to Deepika about that day, she says the nightmare is haunting her till date, and she can't wait to make amends for that disappointment.
"London was a big disappointment for me. There were high expectations from me as I went into the London Games as World No.1. I don't know what happened that day but I couldn't just perform to my level," Deepika told PTI in an interview from Gwangju, South Korea.
"After London, the Asian Games is the biggest sporting event and I will definitely try my best to forget the London nightmare by winning a medal in Incheon," she said.
A medal in the South Korean city will not help Deepika bury her London ghosts, but will also end her individual medal jinx in the Asian Games.
Deepika won a bronze medal in the women's recurve team event in 2010 Guangzhou Games, but missed out on an individual bronze by a whisker.
"I have just participated in one Asian Games in which I won a team bronze. But I will definitely try my best to win an individual medal in Incheon," the three-time World Cup silver medallist archer said.
After the 2012 Olympics, Deepika herself admitted that "pressure" took a toll on her.
But Deepika said she is now in a better position to deal with pressure situations.
"I must admit in London I was bogged down by pressure and obviously there is pressure on me here as well.
"A athlete will be lying if he or she says they don't feel pressure ahead of any big event. There is pressure on everybody but the main part is how you deal with it so that it doesn't affect your performance," she said.
"I am under pressure but I have to make sure that it is under my control. I have to make sure that the pressure factor works in a positive way for me."
