Mst Hera Moni: I turned can’t into can, don’t into done

Header picture via Bangladesh Archery Federation Facebook page.

Recurve archer Mst Hera Moni won the first Islamic Solidarity Sports Federations International Archery Championships in Dhaka, Bangladesh, early in 2017, marking her first international podium finish – at her fourth international archery event.

Beating out athletes from a total of 14 countries in the event, the result put Hera in the spotlight in her home country of Bangladesh.

“At some point in my archery career, I felt like I was improving, but suddenly my performance fell down and I had to try hard to make it better,” she said. “Many times I tried to win a medal, but I failed every time. Winning these championships on home soil was a way of proving to myself that I shouldn’t lose confidence.”

After starting archery with a native-style bamboo bow in 2010, Hera was chosen to move to the recurve under British coach Richard Priestman, who was working with the Bangladesh Archery Federation to develop its world-class programme at the time.

“I worked with her in 2011 when she started shooting in the BKSP Military High School, where the Bangladesh national team was training. I worked with her during three months and she looked really good,” said Richard.

“She bow-trained for five to six hours a day, six days a week – and always with a big smile on her face. Sadly, I left Bangladesh soon after, but she continued to improve well under subsequent coaches. I was so delighted to see that she won the competition.”

Hera was selected as one of Burger King’s inspirational rolemodels for its 2017 International Women’s Day campaign – and her face featured on posters all across the country accompanied by the phrase ‘I turned can’t into can and don’t into done’.

Bangladesh sent a single archer to each of the last two Olympic Games, in London and Rio.

Shamoli Ray represented the country in Rio’s Sambodromo in 2016, seeding 53rd out of the 64 recurve women competing in the event. She was knocked out in the first round of head-to-head matches by Mexican athlete Gabriela Bayardo.