On Wednesday at the brilliant setting of Invalides in Paris, Harvinder Singh went where no Indian archer had gone before in the history of the Paralympics or Olympics. In a sport that has been synonymous with heartbreaks and missed opportunities over the years, Harvinder clinched gold in Para Archery – Men’s Individual Recurve Open event to take India’s medal tally to 22 at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
And Harvinder did so by saving his best for the last in the final against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek. He shot 9, 9, 10 in Set 1. He shot 9, 9, 10 in Set 2. Then, with the finish line in sight, he shot 10, 10, 9. In recurve archery over 70m, to not shoot a single arrow outside the gold zone on the target was a stunning display of high-pressure matchplay.
Harvinder is no stranger to shooting clutch arrows under pressure at the Paralympics. Or to make history. In Tokyo, he had won India’s first-ever medal in archery at any Summer Games, and while doing so he came through three tiebreaker shootoffs. It was a proper emotional rollercoaster, and in the end, years of practising to remain calm when under the pump came in handy.
Harvinder Singh has struck gold with unmatched precision in the Para Archery Men’s Individual Recurve Open at #Paralympics2024! 🥇🎯
This monumental victory marks him as the first-ever Gold Medalist in Para Archery 🏹 at the Paralympics, embodying the vision of our PM Shri… pic.twitter.com/ztQc8t947D
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 4, 2024
While he didn’t need a single shootoff in Paris, he came up with some massively important 10s on his way to the final as well. In the round of 32, he overcame a slow start to defeat Taipei’s 65-year-old veteran Tseng Lung-Hui 7-3. In the round of 32 against Indonesia’s Setiawan, Harvinder dropped the first set. But started the next two sets with 10s to transfer the pressure to his opponent and win 6-2.
In the quarterfinal against Colombia’s Hector Ramirez, he shot 10s with the last arrow in three sets, and repeated it in the semifinal against Iran’s Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri. He wasn’t flawless in either of the matches, with a few stray 7s and 8s. But once more he managed pressure situations well, and found the big arrow when he needed them the most.
And after those wins where he was under the pump different situations, he produced a masterclass in the final to clinch gold.
Harvinder, who hails from Ajit Nagar village in Haryana’s Kaithal district, was born into a farming family. When he was around a year or so old, he contracted dengue. He required injections for treatment but had adverse effects that led to long-lasting leg injuries, eventually leading to a loss of functionality.
The semifinal loss in Tokyo rankled Harvinder. Against Kevin Mather of USA, who went on to win gold, he 4-6. It was a closely-fought five-setter where Harvinder did well to take the match to distance but couldn’t close it out. “You feel good when your efforts are rewarded. This bronze is good but next time I will work even harder and try and improve my game so much that I can win gold,” he had told reporters then.
And three years later, here we are. Harvinder, still shooting 10s under pressure. Harvinder, history-maker.
