Archer Spandana’s sharp focus pays off with Mini Olympics gold

Bengaluru
Archer Spandana R. has always been an athlete. With a keen interest in football and skating, she has represented her school in tournaments in both sports. However, it was archery that truly brought together her talent and passion, forming a powerful combination that led her to win gold in the 30-metre category at the Karnataka Mini Olympics.Like many children, Spandana and her brother were drawn to archery after watching mythological television shows such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. “Watching them actually made us very keen on archery and those skills,” Spandana said. “Seeing our interest, our grandparents made us bows out of bamboo.

When we played with them, our grandfather noticed our enthusiasm and later bought us proper bows from Decathlon. It was something very new for us, so we were extremely curious and excited.”Recognising their growing interest, the siblings were enrolled in coaching classes at the Bengaluru Archery Club. Spandana found the atmosphere encouraging, allowing her to learn and excel under coaches Subash and Rajesh. Soon, she began making her mark in competitions, winning gold and bronze medals at regional tournaments, a medal and Rs 10,000 in prize money at the State level, and two bronze medals at the national championships.

She attributes these achievements to the support of her family, the guidance of her coaches and her own commitment to the sport. “I practise every day, and every weekend we go to the archery class. We have targets set up both inside and outside the house,” she said. She also runs, does bodyweight exercises at home and plays football, all of which she believes help improve her stamina and coordination.
For Spandana, the gold medal at the Mini Olympics felt like the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. “I was extremely happy with my score as well. I felt like I dominated everyone,” she said.

Describing archery as a deeply individual sport, she believes the real competition lies within the archer. “We have to fight within ourselves, reminding ourselves that we have done this before. We just have to show what we are capable of at that moment. Everyone is good, but only one person can come out on top,” she said. Like many young athletes, Spandana draws inspiration from accomplished archers such as Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das and Sara Lopez. “I want to represent India and win as many medals as possible for the country. I just want to do the best I can,” she said.
Currently, she is preparing for an upcoming international competition, where she will compete in the Under-17 category.