0,0
A zero. Seven shots later, another zero. Moments later, a quarterfinal exit from the men's individual category in recurve archery.
A number, and feat, almost unheard of in the sport. How do you come back from that?
1
Four days later, Dhiraj Bommadevara, 22, stood atop the Asian Games podium, cradling an Asian Games silver. India's best ever result in the men's team event in recurve archery at the Asian Games.
Alongside him stood his idol Atanu Das (31), the face of Indian archery for so long, also cradling his first-ever Asian Games medal. Tushar Prabhakar Shelke, making his first Asiad appearance at the age of 28, rounded out this diverse trio.
They had just lost to South Korea in the final by a 5-1 scoreline, understandable when you account for the fact that only once have the Koreans not won the men's team medal at the Asian Games. Yet, that scoreline, just like 0,0 four days ago was deceptive.
India pushed South Korea to perfection (an incredible six 10s to start), and Oh Jinhyek needed to be at his experienced best to nail 10s at crucial junctures. Jinhyek is South Korea's clutch third shooter in their team events, the archer who needs to be the best under pressure, as he's almost always shooting decisive arrows in close contests.
Jinhyek (41) is Olympic, World, Asiad champion. India's clutch shooter was a debutant who'd taken up the sport five years ago. One who had a nightmare exit in the individual category four days ago, thanks to two zeroes.
"It has never ever happened to me - even during practice. My middle finger accidentally pressed and suddenly my mind went blank," Dhiraj told PTI while reflecting upon his exit.
Dhiraj was actually supposed to have faced Jinhyek in that quarterfinal in which he shot his zeroes. Jinhyek had a nightmare of his own in his pre-quarterfinal exit - after raining multiple 10s in the sets, it came down to a shoot-off, where Jinhyek shot nine. It can happen to the best, the most experienced.
Dhiraj had promised to give his best in the team event on Friday, and so he did. It might not have been enough against South Korea, but Dhiraj came in clutch with the 10s when under pressure and 9s when that was all that was needed in the lead up to the final. Mongolia would have eliminated India in the quarterfinal stage in the shoot-off if Dhiraj had not hit 9. He did.
It helped that this was the team event, where the unique camaraderie of being part of a trio comes in. It's no longer you, your bow and arrow vs the target. It's someone encouraging you from behind in the team event, someone who can come in clutch if you fail. The safety net of a team. For Dhiraj, that safety net happened to be his idol.
Atanu Das knows all about public and painful failure. That this is his first Asian Games medal seems almost incredulous on reflection. His third-round exit at the Tokyo Olympics took him out mentally for months, and Das struggled in national trials later - Dhiraj even pipping him to top spot once. There could have been no one better to guide Dhiraj through the travails of a sport where you live and die on the back of your most recent shot.
The fist-bumps, the encouraging pats on the back from the 31-year-old were perfect for the two debutants alongside him and they found a consistent rhythm. Atanu finding bullseyes and 10s to start, Tushar keeping up the pace with a series of consistent 9s and the odd 10, and Dhiraj finishing with whatever number was needed under pressure. That rhythm carried them past Mongolia in the quarterfinal and Bangladesh in the semifinal - but was not enough against the might of Korea.
The 2010 Asian Games was the last time an Indian man held a recurve archery medal in his hands. Thirteen years later, an unheralded trio beat negative experiences, low expectations and the pressure of failure to win silver.
Second place for a group that perfectly knows the value of second chances.