KOLKATA: Archer
Atanu Das has qualified for the pre-quarters of the men's individual event at the
Olympics
, and his coach -
Limbaram
- thinks he can win a gold for India.
'If Atanu keeps his focus, then I am confident he's going to win gold this time. It may sound over-ambitious, but I'm certain of his calibre,' Limbaram said in an interview with EiSamay. The Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee has known Das since the ace archer was a child.
Das always wanted to participate in the Olympics, his coach said. He has very good technique, and knows how to keep his hands steady while releasing the arrow - the key to winning, Limbaram added.
Limbaram, who works as a sports officer in Rajasthan, was the Indian
archery
team's coach at the London Olympics, and the team's failure is still fresh in his memory. But he is living an unachieved dream through his illustrious pupil.
He is aware of the difference in ranking between his Das (22) and his next opponent, South Korea's Lee Seyung Une (8). However, rankings matter less than the ability to keep one's nerves cool and composed, Lingaram said.
Atanu Das will take on Lee Seyung Une on Friday.
Read this story in Bengali.Content Courtesy:
EiSamay