Emerging one among the top eight archers in the world cadet category is no ordinary feat. That the feat was achieved in a competition which is so unfamiliar adds credence to it.
City-based Volga Archery Academy’s archer B. Dhiraj went on to lead the heap in the ranking round and in the elimination, he was defeated by Hong Kong’s Li Curtis in the quarterfinals in the Indoor World Cup Stage 2 tournament that concluded at Bangkok recently. That he lost to Curtis by a margin of a paltry one point highlighted the close contest.
Volga archers, both boys and girls, won the appreciation of many at the U-Towers convention hall at Bangkok, the venue of the event, for their superlative marksmanship. Archers Raghu and Rajeev qualified for the last 32 in the elimination round but bowed out in the pre-quarterfinals.
Says Chandrasekhar, the coach: “They hardly practice indoors. Precision becomes paramount in indoor archery as the role played by wind is less. One has to aim and shoot in the yellow region in a consistent manner. Archers with good time management and concentration will have the edge”. He says the Bangkok tourney will act as a learning curve for the teenagers. Amidst muscular and strong archers from world over, the Volga boys looked like school children strayed into the woods. They also looked under-nourished. “It is time these teenagers hauled weights and strengthened their arms, shoulders and wrists. Shoulder power is more important in modern archery,” says Chandrasekhar.
Volga Archery Academy which has achieved two prestigious medals – 2010 Commonwealth Games (silver) and 2014 Incheon Asian Games (bronze), is now preparing for the mother of all events - the 2016 Rio Olympics. The academy which has produced several talented compound archers is now concentrating on re-curve division as it is the only segment recognised by the International Olympic Association. “Dhiraj, Ravi Shanker, Raghun, Ravi Chandra, Rajeev, Venkatadri are some of the talented re-curve archers who will stake in the Indian team,” says Cherukuri Satyanarayana, chairman of the academy.
The academy also started its arm at KKR Gowtham Public School at Gudavalli, where the emphasis will be on re-curve segment.
Satyanarayana says that the academy will soon have a high-end multi-purpose gymnasium to help the young archers to tone up their muscles. “We will appoint a full-time trainer to take care of the needs of the youngsters”.
