Tokyo Olympics: It's now or never for Indian archery

Tokyo Olympics the ideal venue for Deepika Kumari to lose the 'choker' tag

Deepika Kumari - Time to shed the 'Choker's' tag

Once upon a time, she was the apple of India's eye. Ranked world No. 1 at the just 17, Deepika Kumari Mahato, a girl with humble roots, was all set to win the world in London 2012.

Years later, Deepika Kumari is yet to make her mark at the Olympics. While she is a capable archer and has made herself count at many championships, an Olympic medal has surprisingly evaded her. Despite being ranked a respectable eighth, Deepika crashed out of the first round during her debut stint at the 2012 London Olympics.

Though she made some marginal improvements and reached the pre-quarterfinals in Rio, Deepika was unable to progress further. As such, the Tokyo Olympics is a make-or-break event for this young athlete.

If she wants to create a legacy for herself, she has to break the mold and make herself count. Even a medal in the Tokyo Olympics mixed category would be nothing less than historic, especially with her soulmate and co-archer Atanu Das by her side.