It didn't come as a surprise to many when Deepika Kumari, the world No. 1 archer from Jharkhand, recently said being at the top of the world rankings doesn't matter much to her and her sole aim is to win a medal for the country at the London Olympics.
"I'm not that happy with the number one ranking; I mean it is okay but I will be happy only when we get a gold in the Olympics," said Deepika in a recent interview.
The 18-year-old, who was crowned the No. 1 following her victory over Korea's Lee Sung Jin by six set points to four in the final of the individual recurve event at the World Cup at Antalya, Turkey, has overcome all odds to reach this far and is already an inspiration to India's many young athletes who want to make big despite having a modest background.
Being born to Shivnarayan Mahato, an auto-rickshaw driver and Geeta Mahato, a nurse in Ranchi Medical College, life has never been easy for Deepika. But the gutsy archer never gave up and practiced with whatever little infrastructure she had.
Participating in her first Olympics, Deepika knows the biggest stage is set for her and her target is to hit the bull's eye and finish at the top of the podium. "I can't express what an Olympic medal means to me, it is my dream, my life. Ever since I became a sportsperson, I have been dreaming of an Olympic medal," Deepika, aTata Archery Academy (TAA) alumnus, said.
The teenage archer, whose professional archery journey began in the year 2006, has worked on the technical aspect of her game and is now upbeat of her chances at the mega event. "This is my first Olympics, but I don't have any pressure on me. I am confident of my game and will give my 100 per cent to win a medal," she added.
Over the years, archers from Korea have a stronghold on the global stage and Deepika knows that in London she will be pitted not just against the Korean challenge but also against tough - cold and windy - weather conditions. "The competition will be very tough but I am confident,” she said. "The weather will play a big role since our game is outdoor and in London the weather changes very frequently. But we can handle it."
Other than the individual recurve event, Deepika will also compete in the team event in London with fellow and much-experienced archers Chekrawolu Swuro and Laishram Bombayala Devi. "Our combination is very good, we have improved a lot and we have reached a level where we can compete against the best," she said.
Winning gold in both the individual and team event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi has been, definitely, one of the major highlights of Deepika's career so far, but a medal at the Olympics could etch her name forever in the history of Indian sports.
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