Indian golfer Aditi Ashok finished outside the medal bracket after 72 holes of the women’s individual event by just one shot.
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Google stats for the term ‘Golf’ showcased the search volume at 0 considering a scale of 0 to 100 on July 31, 2021. The same jumped to 100 on August 7, 2021, much to the astonishment of those closely observing these developments. This massive surge in volume was due to one reason. The presence of Indian golfer Aditi Ashok in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, with the 23-year-old in contention for a medal till the very end.
Aditi delivered a valiant performance through thick and thin, keeping up the fight at every stage. The golfer faced stern competition from some of the best female golfers in the sport. However, she refused to bow down, providing a stern response to any challenge that came her way.
Not many gave the 200th ranked player in the world rankings much of a chance going into the Tokyo Olympics. Aditi did not even enjoy the presence of a trained caddie for the prestigious event, with the role fulfilled by her mother. However, the 23-year-old’s brilliance left one and all amazed, finishing fourth ultimately with a bronze medal missed by a whisker.
“I tried my best to hole the last few putts and just knowing because in a regular tournament whether you finish second or fourth it really doesn’t matter, no one cares. But at this event you need to be in the top 3. I didn’t leave anything out there, I think I gave it 100 percent, but, yeah, fourth at an Olympics where they give out three medals kind of sucks,” she said following the conclusion of the event indicating her ambition.
“When I started golf I never dreamt of being or contending at the Olympics, golf wasn’t even an Olympic sport. Sometimes you just pick it up and work hard and have fun every day and sometimes you get here,” added the 23-year-old.
Aditi’s impact extends well beyond the supreme scoreline. The golfer’s heroics encouraged many Indians who would earlier not bother much about the sport, to start taking an active interest by learning the rules and follow all the twists and turns involved. Moments like these play an active role in transforming the fortunes of a sport, rather than a cinematic effort.
Aditi had ensured a masterful performance till the third round, where she carded a three-under 67 to hold on to the second position, and remain in strong contention for a gold medal. Professional Golfers’ Association of India President Romit Bose was backing the golfer to win a historic gold in the sport. India has not won a single medal in golf in the history of the Olympics, which seemed likely to be shattered soon enough.
“Aditi is well capable of making a soaring comeback on Saturday in Round 4 and winning a historic gold medal. United States’ Nelly Korda currently enjoys a slender lead, but the same can be overcome by the Indian golfer if she brings her quality experience to the fore,” said Romit in an exclusive interaction with Sportslumo.
Aditi’s achievement in Tokyo is no rarity having achieved numerous unique achievements in the past. She was the youngest golfer at the Rio Olympics across genders. Not only this, the 23-year-old was the youngest member of the Indian contingent in the 2016 edition.
While it is certainly impressive to note Aditi’s maturity beyond the years, the same is hardly a surprise considering her sharpness and supreme intelligence. The same is evident from an anecdote shared by the golfer’s former coach Tarun Sardesai, who trained her during the formative years.
“It is very tough to share one instance where Aditi showcased her brilliance because there have been so many of them. However, one of the significant moments dates back to when she was just nine years old. Aditi was having trouble putting, which made her parents quite concerned. I gave her some advice over the same and simply asked her to back herself, believing in the lines that she witnessed on the greens. Aditi executed that advice in an excellent manner. The fact that she was able to implement information effectively even at such a young age, convinced me that she was definitely going to be one of the world’s best. If you are good on the greens like she is, then you can compete well at any level.”
“Another interesting insight that I can share about Aditi is the fact that even as a 9-year-old, she was quite diligent and meticulous in nature with regard to her training. The golfer would note down everything that was shared, which was very unique for a kid of her age. The focus and clarity that Aditi enjoyed at the age of 9 was something else altogether.”
Abhinav Bindra’s heroics in the 2008 Bejing Olympics sparked a revolution in India, with many seriously pursuing their dreams of becoming shooters. Aditi’s supreme performance could well result in a similar impact if not more.
