Karam Prakash
Tribune press service
Patiala, September 4
Harvinder Singh, 30, who made history by winning a bronze medal in archery at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, had been training for the mega event in his fields.
After the Covid pandemic disrupted routine sporting activity, Harvinder, the son of a farmer, turned his field into a training ground. The ace archer, who started archery in 2012 after attending the event at the London Olympics, said he trained for almost six months in his fields before surrendering in Tokyo.
Speaking to The Tribune by phone, Harvinder said, “Like other athletes, my training has also been affected due to the March lockdown of last year. After a few days, I asked my dad to prepare a training ground on the field. After harvesting the wheat in April of last year, I started training in the fields.
Our congratulations to @ArcherHarvinder for making history by winning India’s first ever medal in para archery. Your bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games will inspire many others to play the sport. The country is proud of you Beta! ?? pic.twitter.com/8hZsakuLPk
– Capt. Amarinder Singh (@capt_amainder) September 4, 2021
Harvinder said they joined Sonepat National Camp in October 2020. However, training was again affected due to the second wave of Covid. Harvinder returned home to Ajitnagar in the Kaithal district of Haryana and resumed training in his fields.
The bronze medalist said he trained for more than a month at the national camp before heading to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Speaking about his early days, he said he was first trained by coach Jiwanjot Singh at Punjabi University in Patiala. “After watching archery at the London Olympics on television, I decided to continue the game. I went to the archery field at the university where Mr. Jiwanjot, who is also my mentor, started my training.
Harvinder said the early years of his athletic career were tough as he couldn’t excel at his ordeal. “I quit archery in 2015. After a month, my trainer Jiwanjot motivated me again and took my compound to recurve archery. It changed my life. Within a year, I won a medal at the national level and I haven’t looked back since.
Her trainer Jiwanjot said Harvinder had a good balance between studies and sports. “He is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of the Punjabi. With government support, the University of the Punjabi supported the medalist, including with his expensive equipment.
Singh said he was also trained by Gaurav Sharma, who is currently the archery coach at the University of the Punjabi.