Deepika looks forward to bask in Gen Z rivalry

After three iffy rounds to kick off the Archery Premier League, Deepika Kumari turned up for the fourth slightly anxious.

- Rutvick Mehta

Until she had a chat with Brady Ellison, a stalwart in recurve archery. "He told me, 'don't worry, trust yourself, we have planned for this, everything will be fine'. He somehow gave me the confidence that it's going to work, and to not doubt myself," said Deepika.

American Ellison is a five-time Olympic medallist who, for 10 days in New Delhi, will also be the star Indian archer's teammate in the newly-added league to the country's sporting ecosystem.

Deepika is "excited" about archery joining the bandwagon through a product featuring foreign recruits, different format (mixed compound and recurve matches) and shorter times (15 seconds between arrows to the usual 20). And, a different kind of pressure compared to seeking medals in multi-nation events.