Indian men recurve team settles for a silver medal

Kolkata, May 8, 2011: Indian men lost to the U.S. in the final of the recurve team event, 219-221, on Saturday to end the World Cup (Stage I) archery tournament with just one silver medal to its credit, according to a Press release of Indian Archery Association.

The Indian team, comprising Rahul Banerjee, Tarundeep Rai and Jayanta Talukdar, tied the first end of six arrows at 56-56 and took a three-point lead in the second end of six arrows at 58-55 (114-111). The American team of Kaminsk, Fanchin and Ellison, took advantage of two 8s by the Indians to finish the third end of six arrows at 56-54 (168-167, India’s favour). The Indians thereafter seemed to have lapsed in concentration in the final end of six arrows as they shot three 8s which enabled the Americans to pull away to 54-51 in that end for a final score of 221-219 in their favour.

This was India’s second successive silver medal in this tournament. Last year the Indian team, consisting of Mangal Singh, Rai and Talukdar, lost to Italy in the final.

The Indian women’s team finished fourth while the compound men’s and women’s sides were eliminated in the early rounds. Same was the case in the individual events where only recurve archer Seema Verma managed to enter the quarterfinals before bowing out to a superior Korean archer.

Brady Ellison also won the men’s individual gold and mixed team silver medal for his country in recurve bow section.