Indian men’s recurve team wins gold, Deepika settles for a silver medal

Patna, September 4, 2010: India picked up one gold, one silver and a bronze from the World Cup archery Stage IV meet at Shanghai on Saturday. The Indian men's recurve team, consisting of Jayanta Talukdar, Tarundeep Rai and Rahul Banerjee, annexed the gold medal defeating Japan by 224 points to 220.

According to information reached here, teenager Deepika Kumari, however, failed to make history succumbing to the intense pressure of playing her maiden senior final and lost to Korea's Bo Bae Ki to settle for silver. In the best of five sets final, Deepika went out of the contest after losing the first two sets. Though she tied the third one for a point, the Korean came up with three perfect 10s to seal the victory. The set scores in favour of the Korean were 29-27, 29-27, 28-28, 30-27. Two points are awarded for winning a set and one point for a tie.

Jayanta Talukdar gave India the men's individual recurve bronze medal. With a two wins and a loss against Athens Olympic champion Marco Galiazzo of Italy Talukdar won the fourth meeting between the two with a measure of comfort. The Indian ended with seven points as against the Italian's three. The set score in favour of Talukdar were 28-29, 30-26, 28-28, 29-27, 28-27.

Deepika Kumari and Talukdar also ensured that they qualify for the Edinburgh World Cup finals on September 18 and 19. Talukdar will be joined by Brady Ellison (U.S.A.), Galiazzo, Im Dong-Hyun, Kim Woojin (both Korea), Michele Frangilli (Italy) and Simon Terry (Great Britain).

Deepika will be with Bo Bae Kim, Yun-Ok-Hee (both Korea), Guo Faping (China), Victoriya Koval (Ukraine), Elena Kuznetsova (Belarus) and Justyna Mospinek (Poland). Seven men and as many women have also been selected in the compound bow section.

The host will field one wild card entry in each of the four events.

Talukdar has twice entered the final in 2006 and 2009 but failed to win the top place. This is his third entry. Dola Banerjee qualified for the final at Dubai in 2007 and won it. Deepkia is the second Indian woman to make it to the final.

Source: Indian Archery Association press release

Indian men's recurve team in title round

Patna, September 3, 2010: After a gap of one tournament, the Indian men’s recurve team is back into medal contention. The team, comprising Jayanta Talukdar, Tarundeep Rai and Rahul Banerjee, ensured a final berth in the World Cup archery Stage IV at Shanghai on Friday and will take on Japan in the title round.

According to information reached here, India avenged the quarterfinal loss to the US at Ogden by thumping them by 225-208 in the quarterfinals. India’s first round victim was Great Britain, one of the strong contenders at the Commonwealth Games, at 218-215. Hosts China were no match in the semifinals as India coasted to 222-214 triumph. Japan made its final entry by shocking world champions Korea 224-216.

The Indian women’s recurve side, consisting of Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Dola Banerjee, silver medalists at the last meet at Ogden, was surprised by Japan at 212-213 in the initial round.

India’s tale of woe in the compound section continued unabated with the men’s team, C. Srither, Ch. Jagnas and Ritul Chatterjee, one of the weakest selected in recent years, was ousted by Malaysia at 218-224. The women’s outfit with Jhano Hansdah, Bheigyabati Chanu and Gagandeep Kaur, did one better by going out in the quarterfinals. Having beaten New Zealand in Round No. 1 at 216-200, the team came a cropper against the US at 218-226.

The mixed team concept is yet to catch on in India with the result the Indians were never a team to reckon with. The recurve team of Talukdar and Deepika, seeded third went down to 14th seeded Mexico at 142-145 and the compound duo of Kh. Ratan Singh and Jhano Hansdah, ranked 10th ousted Italy 153-151 but lost to the US in the quarterfinals at 150-154.

Source: Indian Archery Association release

Deepika Kumari moves closer to gold medal

Patna, September 2, 2010: Teenage sensation Deepika Kumari waltzed into the final of a senior international archery tournament at the World Cup Stage IV meet at Shanghai on Thursday. National champion Deepika, who is also the reigning cadet world champion, will play Ki Bo Bae of Korea for the gold medal.

According to information reached here, this is Deepika’s maiden final and second by an Indian women. Only Dola Banerjee has done it before winning the Dover World Cup in 2007.

Deepika, seeded 13th, defeated Wu Hui Ju of Chinese Taipei 6-0 in the semifinals and downed fifth seed Lorig Khatuna of the U.S in a close quarterfinal battle at 6-5.

Jayanta Talukdar too was in the threshold of making it to the final of the men’s individual recurve but failed to overcome Lee Chang-Hwan of Korea 2-6 in the semifinals. The Guwahati-born Tata Steel employee overcame Beijing Olympic Games gold medalist Viktor Ruban of Ukraine 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Talukdar is in fray for the bronze medal provided he quells the challenge of Athens Olympic Champion Marco Galiazzo of Italy.

Only three recurve archers, Tarundeep Rai, Rahul Banerjee and Dola Banerjee moved up to pre-quarterfinals before bowing out. Rai lost to Kim Woojin of Korea 2-4; Rahul Banerjee fell to Galiazzo 0-4 and Dola lost to Aida Roman of Mexico 3-4.

Mangal Singh Champia lost to Matthew Gary of Australia in the first round 4-2; L. Bombayla Devi and Rimil Buruily both fell in the first round.

In the compound division, National champion C. Srither and Chittibomma Jignas both went out in the first round while Ritul Chatterjee and Khuraijam Ratan Singh fell in the second round. The four women archers in this category were eliminated in the second round.

Source: Indian Archery Association release

Deepika Kumari moves closer to gold medal

Patna, September 2, 2010: Teenage sensation Deepika Kumari waltzed into the final of a senior international archery tournament at the World Cup Stage IV meet at Shanghai on Thursday. National champion Deepika, who is also the reigning cadet world champion, will play Ki Bo Bae of Korea for the gold medal.

According to information reached here, this is Deepika’s maiden final and second by an Indian women. Only Dola Banerjee has done it before winning the Dover World Cup in 2007.

Deepika, seeded 13th, defeated Wu Hui Ju of Chinese Taipei 6-0 in the semifinals and downed fifth seed Lorig Khatuna of the U.S in a close quarterfinal battle at 6-5.

Jayanta Talukdar too was in the threshold of making it to the final of the men’s individual recurve but failed to overcome Lee Chang-Hwan of Korea 2-6 in the semifinals. The Guwahati-born Tata Steel employee overcame Beijing Olympic Games gold medalist Viktor Ruban of Ukraine 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Talukdar is in fray for the bronze medal provided he quells the challenge of Athens Olympic Champion Marco Galiazzo of Italy.

Only three recurve archers, Tarundeep Rai, Rahul Banerjee and Dola Banerjee moved up to pre-quarterfinals before bowing out. Rai lost to Kim Woojin of Korea 2-4; Rahul Banerjee fell to Galiazzo 0-4 and Dola lost to Aida Roman of Mexico 3-4.

Mangal Singh Champia lost to Matthew Gary of Australia in the first round 4-2; L. Bombayla Devi and Rimil Buruily both fell in the first round.

In the compound division, National champion C. Srither and Chittibomma Jignas both went out in the first round while Ritul Chatterjee and Khuraijam Ratan Singh fell in the second round. The four women archers in this category were eliminated in the second round.

Indian recurve men’s team ends second

Patna, September 1, 2010: Buoyed by Jayanta Talukdar’s 684 points, the Indian recurve men’s team ended the qualification round of the World Cup Stage IV archery meet second behind world leaders Korea with a total of 2030 points on the opening day at Shanghai on Wednesday.

According to information reached here, Talukdar himself finished second in the individual ranking behind Im Dong-Hyun whose 691 broke the existing world record of 687 that he established at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Korea also bettered the team’s world record of 2039 established at Antalya in 2008 with 2043.

The women’s performance was rather disappointing. The senior most members, Dola Banerjee and Laishram Bombayla Devi, found the form dipping and had the mortification of finishing 39th and 33rd respectively. Dola’s 626 was the worst score among the four Indians which earned her the 39th ranking place. Bombayla did a little better with a score of 629 which gave her the 33rd spot. Cadet world champion Deepika Kumari was the best with 645 points that got her the 13th ranking place. The fourth member Rimil Buruily was 19th with 641.

National champion Tarundeep Rai was the next best placed Indian after Talukdar. His 674 points gave him the eighth rank. Rahul Banerjee was 12th with 672 and Mangal Singh Champia, who will only be playing in individual event, was 38th with 656.

India’s first round opponent in the men’s team championship will be Great Britain, ranked 15th.

The Indian women’s team will clash with ninth ranked Japan in the first round.

In the mixed team event, Deepika Kumari and Jayanta Talukdar, were ranked third with 1329 and will face the Mexican duo in the first elimination round.

Source: Indian Archery Association release