Youth Olympic Games: Akash enters history books with silver show in arc

Indian archer Akash Malik

Akash Malik became India's first silver-medallist in archery at the Youth Olympic Games, providing a fitting finale to the country's best-ever campaign at the marquee event.

The 15-year-old son of a farmer lost a one-sided final to Trenton Cowles of the USA 0-6 as India concluded with three gold, nine silver, and one bronze at the event that was launched in 2010.

Seeded fifth after qualification, the Haryana boy was inconsistent in the summit clash against the 15th seed Cowles, who only shot in 10s and 9s to wrap it up easily.
In the three-setter, both archers shot four perfect 10s, but Akash's two wayward 6s in the first and the third set proved to be the decisive factor. The summit clash was held under windy conditions following light rain.

"I have trained in the wind, but here it was too much. I was waiting for an opportunity but he [Cowles] was stronger and I had no chance," Akash told PTI. "I feel good but I lost the gold medal," the Class XI student said after bettering Atul Verma's feat of a bronze at the Nanjing edition of the Games in 2014. Akash took up archery six years ago after Manjeet Malik, a physical-trainer-turned-archery-coach, picked him during a trial.

"One day my friends took me to a field, where I saw kids aiming at a target with arrows. Mujhe laga woh shikaar kar rahe hain [[ thought they were hunting]," Akash said, who played cricket with friends earlier.

In 2014, Akash was part of the recurve boys team which won gold at the mini national (U-14) archery championship in Vijayawada. Akash won in the Youth Olympics qualifying event last year.

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