Bhutan’s four-member compound archery team has left for Japan today to compete at the Asian Games. After more than a year of training, including closed camps and overseas preparation, the archers are heading to the Games hoping their preparation will pay off.
For Bhutan’s four compound archers, the journey to the Asian Games began more than a year ago. Since March last year, the team has trained regularly to improve scores and technique. Their preparation also included a 24-day closed training camp in Punakha and a week of training in Bangladesh.
The team has been training under Bhutanese head coach Tashi Tshering, who has more than 20 years of coaching experience with the Bhutan Archery Federation.
Head Coach Tashi Tshering says, “Compared to the past, we have changed the way we train. We have trained according to the climate in Japan and adapted our preparation accordingly. We have selected the best archers for the team, and we believe we have a good chance of winning medals this year.”
The team will compete in the individual, team and mixed team events.
Among them is 39-year-old Tandin Dorji from Paro. He brings years of international experience to the squad. Tandin has won two silver medals at the South Asian Games. He is also a two-time winner of the ISPS Handa Cup in Japan, in 2017 and 2019.
A national champion in several domestic competitions, Tandin began practising with the compound bow in 2004. He joined the national team in 2017.
Tandin Dorji says,“We are totally prepared better than previous tournaments, and we are confident that we will achieve something from this tournament.”
Thirty-five-year-old Tshetum Gaytshey from Thimphu is another member of the team. He has represented Bhutan in two international tournaments.
“We have prepared well for the Asian Games, and we hope to compete at the highest level with the other countries,” says Tshetum Gaytshey.
The team also includes 38-year-old Kezang Norbu from Monggar. Kezang began playing with the compound bow in 2022 and has represented Bhutan in around four international tournaments. He won gold at a national open archery competition in 2024 and lost the bronze medal in the men’s team event at the Asia Cup early this year.
Kezang Norbu says, “We have elevated ourselves much more, in a sense that we can compete with any of the Asian countries. So, for that, we are privileged to be selected to represent Bhutan at the 20th Asian Games.”
For 46-year-old Dorji Dolma, the Asian Games mark a new chapter in her archery career. She joined the sport in 1997 and represented Bhutan as a recurve archer in more than 20 international tournaments. She won silver and bronze medals at the South Asian Archery Championship before serving as a recurve coach from 2013 to 2023.
This time, she will represent Bhutan as a compound archer.
Dorji Dolma says, “Bhutanese have supported us throughout our preparation, and I hope they will continue to support and encourage us as we compete in Japan.”
The team will now look to put that preparation into practice as they take on some of Asia’s strongest archers. Athletes from 45 countries and regions, along with the Olympic Council of Asia Refugee Team, will compete in 43 sports at the Games, which will be held from 19 September to 4 October.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sangay Chezom
