Tokyo 2020: Deepika Kumari out to fulfill her parents' dreams
Deepika Kumari has set her sights on a podium spot at Tokyo 2020
Ace Indian archer Deepika Kumari had made a perfect start to the Olympic year. She clinched two gold medals in World Cup Stage I and then went on to clinch a hat-trick of gold medals at the Stage III of the marquee event in Paris. It also helped her rise to the top spot in women's individual recurve rankings.
However, one of her major setbacks this year was not being able to help the women's recurve team secure a berth for Tokyo 2020. The Ranchi-archer is, thus, the only woman in the Indian archery contingent at the Olympic Games.
Though the mixed team event, where she partnered Pravin Jadhav, did not bring her much joy, Deepika will be looking to fulfill her parents' dream by bringing home a medal from Tokyo 2020 in the women's individual recurve event. Her parents -- Shivnarayan Mahato and Geeta Mahato -- had dreamt of their daughter returning home with a medal.
Her father, who still occasionally rides his auto-rickshaw, believed in the hardwork put by his daughter over the past few years.
"I hope Deepika is able to come back with a medal," Shivnarayan Mahto told ANI.
His father, however, has not forgotten about their financial hardships which eventually came to an end as Deepika continued to grow as an archer. He also said that Archery Association of India (AAI) president Arjun Munda played a big role in their lives by supporting them.
"I am very happy with where I am, my daughters tell me to not drive auto, but I like to do it, it is just my work," he said.
Deepika also found immense support in her mother Geeta, who never stopped her from following her dreams, even as the family went through a financial crisis. Her mother would work as a nurse at Ranchi Medical hospital but the combined income of their parents would hardly help both ends meet.
And now that the family has overcome the odds, her mother thanks God, for taking them through the hard times. She is hoping her child comes back with a medal from Tokyo.
"I hope that Deepika can give a good performance at the Tokyo Olympics, I am confident that she will come back with a medal," her mother said.
Deepika will be looking to make good on her parents' wish when she takes on Bhutan's Karma in the Round of 32 on Wednesday morning.
Kumari has been the flagbearer of Indian archery for a long-time. She would love to become the first archer to win an Olympic medal for the country as well.