Hisar’s Akash soars at YOG

Subhash Rajta

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 18

Akash Malik was not supposed to be an archer. Why? One, he comes from Haryana, the land of boxers, wrestlers and kabaddi players, not archers; two, he was accidentally struck by an arrow in the eye when he was about four years old. “The injury was pretty bad, the eye occasionally gets cloudy even today,” said the 15-year-old Akash. The lack of archery culture and the injury could have easily discouraged Akash from pursuing the sport, but the youngster wasn’t. 

A few years later, on Thursday, the decision to tread the path less travelled paid rich dividends when he became India's first archery silver medallist at the Youth Olympics, and capped off India’s best ever showing (13 medals, 3 gold, 9 silver and 1 bronze) at the prestigious event. Akash, who hails from village Umra in Hisar district, lost 0-6 to USA’s Trenton Cowles in the final of the recurve event. Despite the loss, Akash and his coach Manjeet Malik were in high spirits. “Archery is still a very new sport in Haryana, and this boy has become the first Indian ever to win a silver medal at Youth Olympics. So, it’s a huge achievement,” the coach said, putting his ward’s feat in perspective. Much of the credit for Akash’s medal should go to Manjeet, who established an archery centre in Umra six years back, helping Akash and many others pursue the sport that was almost unknown until then in Haryana. 

Though happy with the medal, Akash said he could have done better had the conditions been a little less windy. “It was very windy out here today, and we aren’t used to playing in such conditions. I am sure I would have put up a tougher fight in normal weather,” Akash told The Tribune from Buenos Aires.

Tough ride 

Like most other Indian sportspersons, it has been a tough ride for Akash. Coming from a family of small farmers, money was always in short supply. “The equipment is very expensive, it costs around Rs 3-4 lakh,” said Manjeet. “The Nationals are still played with wooden bows and arrows. The Haryana government offers roughly the same amount as cash award to the winners in Nationals, and the archers use that money to buy equipment to participate in international events.” But there are recurring expenses too, such as buying arrows from time to time. “My parents borrow money to meet these expenses. It’s tough for them but they somehow manage to keep me going,” said Akash. 

The problems are, of course, stifling but the coach and his ward aren’t thinking about them at the moment. Buoyed by the successful outing, they are looking forward and are hopeful of a brighter future. “Akash is very focussed and hardworking. If he keeps working hard, I am sure he’s going to win an Olympic medal some day,” said the coach. Akash has much clearer idea about when and where he’s going to achieve the feat. “I want to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics,” he said. For a Youth Olympics silver medallist, that’s certainly not out of reach.