PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Oct 4: Jharkhand archers brought laurels for the state winning five medals – 2 gold and 3 silver – on the concluding day of the Indian Round (shooting with traditional bows and arrows) in the 40th NTPC Senior National Archery Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex on Sunday evening.
The pair of Goldi Mishra and Ritu Kumari hailing from the steel city won gold in the mixed team events, edging out Maharashtra’s Natasha Abhiman Dumne and All India Petroleum Sports Control Board’s (AIPSCB) Huidrom Rajpriyari and P Heruba Singh.
Jharkhand’s Ritu Kumari, Asrita Biruily, Anku Kumari and Dipti Bodra claimed silver in the women’s team event as Manipur’s Moirangthem Baby Devi, Wangkhem Malesori Devi, Okram Naobi Chanu and Longjam Tomthinnganbi finished on the top. Maharashtra’s Natasha Abhiman Dumne, Ojasvi Uday Salve, Tejasweeni Rajendra Shinde and Sakshi Bandu Tathe settled for the bronze.
Jharkhand’s Anku Kumari picked the second silver in the women’s individual event even as Prabin Boro pocketed the gold.
Okran Naobi Hanu of Manipur managed a bronze. Asrita Biruily had bagged a gold in the women’s 50 m distance while Goldi Mishra had won silver in the men’s 30 m distance on the opening day on Saturday, taking Jharkhand’s medal’s tally to 5.
Manipur finished with 8 medals 1 gold, as many silver and 6 bronze while AIPSCB won 6 medals – 2 gold, as many silver and bronze.
The compound round event will be held on October 5 and 6 and will be followed by Recurve round (Olympic) on October 8 and 9.
The senior nationals is of significant importance as the top 16 rank holders in recurve men, recurve women, compound men and compound women categories will be picked from this championship for the trials to be held on October 10 and 11 at Jamshedpur which will be the basis of Indian team’s selection for Asian Archery Championship in Dhaka.