Dolly Shivani Cherukuri showcases her skills Photo: AFP

Indian girl breaks national archery record at the age of 2

Dolly Shivani Cherukuri becomes the youngest Indian to score more than 200 points at a trial event 

By Arthur Kirby

 26 Mar 2015

Dressing yourself. Remembering to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. These are the usual achievements of your average 2-year-old.

Step forward Dolly Shivani Cherukuri. Nine days before her third birthday, the eagle-eyed archer became the youngest Indian to score more than 200 points at a trial event, according to the India Book of Records.

Dolly scored a total of 388 points. She began by firing 36 arrows at a target 15 feet away, then shot 36 more, this time from 21 feet.

 The young record-breaker was being set up for bow and arrow stardom “when she was in the womb itself,” Cherukuri Satyanarayana,

 Dolly’s father, told AFP. Light carbon arrows were made so she wouldn't struggle with their weight when training.

 

 Dolly takes aim (Pic: AFP/Getty)

“You can’t put too much pressure on children, they can be trained for a maximum of two or three hours a day,” he explained. “But Dolly comes from a family of archers so she’s capable of a lot.”

Archery is indeed in the blood. Dolly's father runs an academy and her older brother, who sadly died in 2011, was an international archer and coach.


The record-breaker with her medal and certificate (Pic: AFP/Getty)