Ojas Pravin Deotale Biography
Indian archer Ojas Pravin Deotale is presently rated ninth in the world. Ojas Deotale was the first Indian male archer to win the gold medal in the men’s individual compound event at the 2023 World Archery Championships in Berlin on August 5, of the year 2023. Ojas Deotale won medals at both the 2023 Archery World Cup and the 2022 Asia Cup.
Early Life
Deotale is a Nagpur native. When Ojas Deotale was younger, he would disassemble brooms in his home to create bows and arrows, which made his mother buy extra brooms. Ojas Deotale was a medal-winning roller skater at the state of Maharashtra before he discovered archery.
Ojas Deotale’s secondary education was completed at Siddhivinayak School in Gumgaon, Nagpur.
Archery Training
Deotale, a 13-year-old archer, discovered the sport at a summer camp in the year 2015. His parents enrolled him in an archery academy in the city Nagpur, where Ojas Deotale began with the Indian bow before moving to recurve. Deotale trained at an academy in Tajbagh for 3-4 years. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, Ojas Deotale stayed alone at Siddhivinayak School, where he practiced with yoga and meditation. During the second lockdown, Ojas Deotale rented a room near the academy but returned to stay alone. In the month of July of the year 2022, Ojas Deotale moved to Satara to train at the Drushti Archery Academy under his current coach, Pravin Sawant.
Archery Career
Deotale, a renowned Indian archer, has an average arrow score of 9.72 and a career best world ranking of 9. Ojas Deotale broke the Junior World Record of 1419 at the Indian Junior Team Trials 2022, scoring 1,423 and 1,427 out of 1,440. In the month of December of the year 2022, Ojas Deotale made his senior India team debut, winning individual silver and team gold in the men’s compound event. Despite a leg fracture in Pune, Deotale passed the fitness test.
Deotale and his compound mixed team partner Jyothi Surekha Vennam won gold at the 2023 Archery World Cup, winning gold at the World Cup Stage 1 in Antalya and Stage 2 in Shanghai. At the 2023 World Archery Championships, Deotale defeated Poland’s Przemyslaw Konecki in the quarterfinals and former world champion Dutch archer Mike Schloesser in the semifinals. In the finals, Ojas Deotale scored a perfect 150 to beat Poland’s Lukasz Przybylski 150-149.
Despite a poor start at Berlin, Deotale’s mother Archana praised him for his performance and encouraged him to leave the sport after becoming world champion.
Personal Life
Deotale leads a focused life, avoiding social media, television, and hanging out with friends. Ojas Pravin Deotale exclusively interacts socially with his brother Jatin’s pals and spends his birthday with his family. Ojas Pravin Deotale is described as being extremely disciplined and grounded by his coach.
