Amravati: On Vijayadashami morning, when most of Amravati was performing Shastra Puja, Asian Games double gold medallist Kumkum Mohod was at the District Sports Office archery range to worship the bows which helped her attain international glory.Dressed in her blue India jersey, she placed two marigold-decorated bows before her — the five-year-old second-hand bow with which she created history in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and a new bow — and prayed before them.She had defeated world champion Koreans at the Asian Games using the second-hand bow. “I perform Shastra Puja of my bows every Dussehra. I own new bows too, but the old one sits best in my hand,” Kumkum (17) told ToI on Tuesday. Her two gold medals — individual recurve and team recurve — were shining against her jersey.Kumkum, who had started archery practice with a Rs 3,000 wooden bow at age eight, became the first Indian woman to win individual recurve gold at the Asian Games, defeating Korea’s Oh Ye-Jin 7-3 in the semifinal and then Kang Chae-young in the final. In the team final, India beat Korea 5-4, with Kumkum shooting five perfect 10s out of six arrows.“When I learnt my gold secured India a quota for Los Angeles 2028, I felt extremely happy,” said Kumkum, who studies in Class 12 at Manibai Gujarati High School and Junior College here. “I also want to excel in my Board exams,” she said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while lauding Kumkum for breaking Korea’s 30-year domination, had held the bow briefly when she met him in New Delhi after returning from the Asian Games.On her return, she was also honoured with the inaugural Jaspal Rana Trophy for emerging excellence by Indian Olympic Association president and legendary athlete PT Usha in New Delhi.Out of the three medals she won in Japan, Kumkum values the women’s individual recurve gold the most. “I won it on my own,” she said.Prafulla Dange, who has trained Kumkum for nine years at Khelo India Centre, DSO Amravati, said the secret is technique, not equipment. “Kumkum has shoulder strength that you mostly find in boys, rarely in girls. It’s very good for bow control,” Dange said.During Covid, when training space was limited, Dange worked on her stance, follow-through and release. “Her focus is 80% on shooting and 20% on aiming — which is exactly what is needed,” he said.On beating Korea, Dange said: “If you have self-belief and perform without looking at who is in front of you, you can deliver. Kumkum paid attention to one-arrow shooting, gave her best and succeeded.”On mental conditioning, Dange said his ward holds her breath at anchor and does cardio and jogging to control heartbeat.For LA28, Dange said he won’t be doing anything different. “I will just increase match practice and do everything required to prepare her for LA28, including poundage, arrow spine tuning and mental and physical conditioning.”Dange confirmed they skipped the junior nationals currently in progress in Jaipur to focus on senior nationals and national trials in January, which will decide personal quota confirmation for LA28.At her home in Gosavi Colony, the celebration is modest. Her mother and grandmother awaited her after Dussehra puja. Her father Anil Mohod said, “She still practices with the same bow. She says new bows can wait.”
