In a moving story of perseverance and tenacity, 11-year-old Sohit Kumar of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, smashed the national archery record at the Under-15 Archery Championship in Guntur. Coming from humble roots, Sohit, whose father sells vegetables, scored an incredible 710 out of 720 in the tournament, outperforming even older opponents. He was the talk of the sports world after his outstanding performance earned him the gold medal.
Sohit, a Compound Archer, envisions a bright future. He hopes to represent India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where compound archery will make its Olympic debut. “I am looking forward to the upcoming International Youth Championship trials, and I hope to do well and make my country proud,” Sohit told reporters.
An army physiotherapist saw Sohit’s ability and encouraged him to pursue archery. This brought him to Richpal Singh, a renowned coach and former Kargil War hero. Though Singh was first hesitant to teach Sohit owing to his age, he soon changed his mind after witnessing the boy’s raw potential. Singh later expressed his pride in Sohit’s achievement, noting that scoring 710 in the 40-meter event had never been done in this category before.
Sohit’s journey began at age ten when he competed in the Senior National Championship.
