At age 24, Chhoden has overcome more hurdles than other athletes experience in their entire sporting careers. While archery is the national sport of Bhutan, until recently it was considered a pursuit only for men. Chhoden, and others like her, have changed all that.

So isolated is her country that until 1960 the only way into it was to walk for five days through the Himalayan mountains. Those who have ventured to the kingdom since have discovered it is a land where archery plays an important role in the community. Each village has an archery king and most men practice the sport regularly.

Chhoden competed at the Sydney Olympic Games, placing 43rd here in Athens, she had the honour of carrying her nation’s flag in the Opening Ceremony.

When competition began, expectations for her success were modest. However, Chhoden made Olympic history by becoming the first Bhutanese athlete ever to win a match at the Games when she upset Chinese star Lin Sang 159-156 in the first elimination round.

In today’s 1/16th round, Chhoden was matched against India’s Reena Kumari, a promising talent who, like Chhoden, has many years of elite archery ahead of her.

The match proved to be a thriller. Chhoden led for most of the competition. As she took aim to fire the final arrow of the match, she needed a six to win. She waited for the wind, checked her aim once more, released…and scored a five. The scores were tied at 134-134.

Kumari had the first arrow in a tie-breaker, scoring a seven. With the crowd willing her on, Chhoden could only manage a lowly four as nerves got the better of her.

Her Olympic dream was over, but Chhoden had accomplished more than most athletes can hope to do. She had inspired other young women back in her country to dream big and reach for their goals. As she cried on the shoulder of her coach Karmia Dechog, she was cheered from the arena.