Indian archery star Dhiraj Bommadevara revealed that his brilliant performance in the Paris Olympic ranking round was only made possible due to his teammates Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jhadav’s support after the first half of shots.
Dhiraj Bommadevara credits his success to his teammates
India Men’s archery team secured a direct entry into the Paris Olympics 2024 quarter-finals stage after finishing 3rd in the rankings round and on top of some scintillating sets of performances from the likes of Dhiraj and Tarundeep. The round saw Dhiraj making a sensational comeback into the game after making a slow start in the first half.
Dhiraj’s performance in the men’s archery ranking round was nothing short of spectacular. Despite a slow start in the first half, he staged a phenomenal turnaround, finishing in 4th place. His brilliant display helped secure India’s spot in the quarterfinals.
“I did feel a bit scared in the first round, but what felt good was that we collectively handled it well with the mentality of “yes it was a scary start but we will get through it,” Dhiraj said.
Dhiraj credits his success to the unwavering support of his teammates, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jhadav. After a shaky first round, they collectively strategized and encouraged each other. Their mental resilience and camaraderie played a crucial role in overcoming the initial challenges.
“About today’s (ranking round) game, there was a lot of confusion in the first-half. We could do better in the second because we had a talk amongst ourselves regarding what to do. I think the final score would have been possible if we did not have that talk in between,” Dhiraj added.
Dhiraj and Tarundeep stood out with their composed performance over a total of 72 shots. Their combined efforts secured a fighting chance for glory in the highly-anticipated Paris Olympics.
Dhiraj Bommadevara admitted that he was getting confused and a bit scared when things weren't going his way.
Tarundeep Rai, playing his fourth Olympics, came up to him and reminded him of their Indian Army roots.
✍️ @jon_selvaraj reports from #Paris2024 ➡️… pic.twitter.com/oe609A8wwL
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) July 25, 2024
The turning point came in the second half. Dhiraj, initially ranked 11th, surged ahead, nailing 5 bullseyes in the final rounds. His total score of 346 points secured his impressive 4th-place finish.
Notably, Dhiraj had already made history by becoming the first Indian archer to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024. His journey exemplifies determination, teamwork, and the spirit of competition.
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