Tarundeep Rai, a seasoned Indian archer, is determined to make his fourth Olympic appearance in Paris a memorable one by securing his first Olympic medal. At 40 years old, Rai has an impressive track record, having won medals at every major global and continental championship, including two World Championship silver medals, nine World Cup medals, and three Asian Games medals.
Despite his success, Rai has yet to achieve his Olympic dream. He exited in the first round of the individual event in Athens 2004, and in the second round in both London 2012 and Tokyo 2021. In Tokyo, the men’s team, which included Rai, reached the quarterfinals.
“It’s emotional every day,” Rai said. “It’s the fourth time. It’s a now-or-never situation for me, and that’s what I tell my teammates too. You have to put in an effort as if it’s going to be your last.”
Rai is also serving as an unofficial mentor to the Indian team, sharing his vast experience and knowledge with his younger teammates. He believes that the team has the potential to win a medal in Paris, and he is determined to help them achieve their goal.
“We have kept that in control (this time),” Rai said. “Coaches, management, players’ mentality, we have kept that in check. Everyone is in their best form.”
For the first time since London 2012, India will have a full six-member squad in Paris, after both the men’s and women’s teams qualified on the basis of rankings. This means they will compete in all five events.
Rai’s journey to the Olympics has not been without its challenges. He failed to make it to the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, which served as a wake-up call for him.
“Yes, the Asian Games was a realization period and gave me a lot of positive vibes,” Rai said. “If that did not happen, maybe I would not have made it to my fourth Olympics and reached here.”
Despite the setbacks, Rai remains optimistic and is eager to make the most of his final Olympic opportunity. He has set up an academy in Sikkim to pass on his knowledge to the future generation of archers.
“Coaching or not, you have to give something back to the sport,” Rai said. “This is one thing we have lacked. Transfer of technique, transfer of experience. Senior archers leaving should come back. This gap we have to fill up.”
