Like guru, like disciple: Haryana’s Rishabh Yadav does mentor Abhishek Verma proud, wins compound archery gold

Vinayak Padmadeo

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Ahmedabad, October 5

Young Rishabh Yadav was all smiles. He had just become the National Games champion after beating Maharashtra’s Ojas Pravin Detale 144-143 in the compound archery gold medal match.

What made the win, his first as a senior archer, sweeter was that it came in front of his mentor Abhishek Verma, who is one of the leading compound archers in India.

“He (Verma) is there for me all the time,” said Yadav, who hails from Gurugram. “Even during the final today, I could hear him shout ‘do not concentrate on the arrows, concentrate on the process’. He has been pushing me to do well and I am happy that I was able to make my state, parents and mentor proud today,” added the 20-year-old.

The win, though, was yet to sink in. “I cannot describe this feeling. I am experiencing these emotions for the first time. When I started compound archery eight years ago, I was aware of the National Games but never thought I would become the National Games champion,” he said.

Yadav and Verma’s mothers were classmates. So, when Yadav started taking an interest in archery, Verma was asked to mentor the youngster. Eight years later, Verma cannot help but feel proud at Yadav’s progress.

“You feel good if someone that you are mentoring starts to do well,” Verma said. “It also means that I am doing something good in coaching while continuing my career as a player,” added the multiple World Cup medallist.

Verma will also return from the National Games with a gold medal. Delhi’s Verma, Kawalpreet Singh and Aman Saini beat Punjab’s Sangampreet Singh Bisla, Gurwinder Singh and Harnoor Singh 233-226 to become the team champions. Maharashtra finished third. Gurwinder also won the individual bronze.

Bettering mentor’s record

Yadav, who won the U-21 World Championships bronze medal last year, has already taken the national record away from his mentor. At the junior selection trials held in Sonepat, the youngster rewrote the national record when he scored 715 points out of 720. He bettered Verma’s record by one point.

“It is funny I completed eight years with him on August 31 and the same day I broke his national record,” Yadav said. “He called me and said, ‘you broke my record’. I told him ‘we have completed eight years today’,” he added.

“I chose compound archery because of my mentor. I follow him in everything, whether in sport or in life,” he added.

Verma is very protective of his young prodigy. “We are always together. We are room partners in Sonepat. We train together either in Sonepat or at the Yamuna Sports Complex in Delhi. It is my job now. He is a big contender for a spot in the Asian Games team,” Verma said.

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