Bangladesh's Abdur Rahman Alif has finally claimed a gold medal at the Asia Cup Archery Championship! The Bangladeshi archer raised the red and green flag high in Singapore, with the national anthem, "Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi," echoing on foreign soil.
In a nail-biting recurve men's individual final at the ongoing Asia Cup Archery in Singapore, Alif defeated Japan's Miyata Gakuto with a set score of 6-4.
Alif started strong, leading comfortably in the first two sets. He scored 28 in the first set against Gakuto's 27, and then followed up with a 29 in the second set while Gakuto scored 28.
However, the Japanese archer mounted a comeback, winning the next two sets to equalize the match. Gakuto scored 28 in the third set to Alif's 27, and then took the fourth set 27-26. The match went down to a dramatic fifth set. In a thrilling final shot, Alif scored a remarkable 29 points, while Gakuto managed 26. Alif erupted in celebration on the Singapore field, embracing his coach, Martin Frederick.
Alif, a product of BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan), had previously lost in the recurve individual final at the Asian Youth Archery Championship on September 30 last year, falling to a Chinese Taipei archer.
Despite competing in numerous international competitions like the World Cup, Asian Archery Championship, and Asian Archery Grand Prix, Alif had never secured an individual medal until now. He had already guaranteed a silver medal by reaching the final, but his ambition was to turn it into gold. And he did! This time, Alif was spared the heartbreak of another shattered dream.
Bangladesh's recurve men's individual archery scene was once dominated by Roman Sana. After a decline in his performance, Hakim Ahmed Rubel emerged as a promising talent. However, both have since moved to the United States in pursuit of better lives, leaving the sport behind.
Since then, two young archers from BKSP, Sagar Islam and Alif, have taken up the mantle in this event. Sagar, who qualified for the Paris Olympics on his own merit, unfortunately couldn't perform to his potential in Singapore, losing in the first round. However, despite Sagar's early exit, Alif, who hails from Bera, Pabna, ensured Bangladesh's honor was upheld.