Islam sacrificing time with family to change Bangladesh’s fortunes

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT is presented by WIAWIS.

Sport often seems to be a successful pathway for people from all walks of life, becoming a long, winding journey from rags to riches in wealth and in situ. 

But on that pathway, sacrifices are forced to be made if one is determined to become successful even if it means those sacrifices affect the athlete’s free time with friends and family as well as themselves.

This has been the case for Md Sagor Islam, the only Bangladesh representative for archery at Paris 2024 last summer with the 18-year-old also being the second youngest in the Olympic recurve men’s field behind France’s then 17-year-old Baptiste Addis.

“My mother is working hard all the time and is always trying to support me,” said Islam, who was raised by a single mother following his father’s passing when he was just three years old. “Near my home, I have one archery club, so my mother said, ‘Go and try and shoot archery’.” 

“I first went when my mother was working. She never said, ‘Come with me, work with me.’ She said, ‘Go to the field and shoot.’”

Raised in poverty in Bangladesh’s western division of Rajshahi, Islam recalls every day when he was growing up being a “struggle” with his late father also leaving behind a tea stall.  

From archery beginning as just a simple distraction for him away from his personal hardships, it became a passion, an obsession that turned into a life changing opportunity.

Islam’s confidence on the shooting line grew to the point that he travelled over 200 kilometres from Rajshahi to the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan, the country’s national sports institute that is located in Savar, just west of the capital Dhakar, to successfully complete a trial.

With the institute having a boarding system for young athletes, it has been his temporary home since, something he credits also to his unwavering mother.

“Then after that [trial], I learnt about the national team and international competitions. She saw first hand how much I wanted to go to Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan and achieve something for my country.” 

“That’s why she had no problem with it, she just wants me to focus on archery.”

Deciding to pursue a career in a sport at such a young age clearly comes with risk but also high rewards and Islam’s perseverance in archery was fully vindicated last summer in the Final Olympic Qualifier in Antalya.

He came second, winning Bangladesh’s only archery quota to the Paris Olympic Games – where he would go on to be the flagbearer – and 500,000 Taka thanks to the Bangladesh Archery Federation.

His appearance at Les Invalides marked just the fifth time a Bangladeshi archer competed on a Games shooting line, but Islam failed to beat compatriot Ruman Shana’s national Olympic record of getting past the first round, the teenager losing to Tokyo silver medallist Mauro Nespoli.

Time is more than enough on his side however to create an archery legacy his country has never seen before as he prepares to grace his second Olympics, LA28, as a 22-year-old. 

To put it into perspective, 2024’s recurve men archer of the year and all time great Kim Woojin was 24 when he shot in his maiden Games.

Since his Olympic debut last summer, Los Angeles is all Islam has been thinking about.

“It’s already been six months, but my dream is not done,” said Islam as he gears up for Bangladesh’s national trials for the 2025 season at the end of February. “Olympics are the mega games. I was the youngest player, so I needed to be stronger. I’m still in practise mode and working hard every day.”

“I’m going to work hard and prepare for the next international competition like how I prepared for 2024.”

There is never a guarantee for athletes who win their nation’s quota places at Olympics are the ones chosen to represent.

Before Islam’s place in Paris was confirmed, rumours were circulating that the older, more experienced mixed team Asian Championships silver medallist Md Hakim Ahmed Rubel would be selected instead, but as Kevin Durant’s old high school basketball coach Tim Notke said, “talent doesn’t beat hard work when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Head coach Martin Frederick will know as well as any about Islam ‘s story that combines talent with the drive to not just propel his own career but his mother’s life.

Some say age is just a number, but Islam’s youthfulness, talent and already high level experience means Bangladesh could have a super talent on their hands, one who is shooting to end the country’s poor form in Olympic archery and fulfil his “dream” of winning a medal.