Three rookies in 8-member side

KOLKATA, NOV. 18. Three rookies are among eight archers named in the Indian team for the Asian championship to be held at Hong Kong from December 8 to 15.

At the end of the three-day trials held at the Sports Authority of India, Eastern Centre, here on Sunday, 15-year-old Tata Archery Academy, Jamshedpur, boy Gautam Singh provided all the surprises by topping the men's selection by totaling 3829 points. The other amazing performance came from 16-year-old Raj Kumar Uttar Pradesh. He took the second spot with 3,818 after he and his teammate from Gurukul in Meerut tied at 3,818. In the one- arrow-each-shoot-off, Raj Kumar shot a 9 as against Viswas' 8.

As per the decision of the Archery Association of India (AAI), two, Olympian and current National champion Lalrem Sanga of Jharkhand and Acharya Ved Kumar of Ordnance Sports Board were barred from taking part in the selection trials after their poor showing at the world meet held at Beijing a couple of months ago. The other two, Kailash Singh and Satyadev Prasad, both from Meerut, retained their places and were exempted from the trials and were made automatic choices to the Indian team.

With just two places up for grabs, Gautam and Raj Kumar made it to the senior Indian team for the first time. Viswas has been named as the stand-by for Satyadev Prasad, who is studying to become an NIS couch at the Eastern Centre, may not be able to accompany the Indian team owing to exams this December. In case he failed to make it, Viswas will take his place.

Similarly, National champion Dola Banerjee and Chekrevolu Swuro, both of Tata Archery Academy, Jamshedpur, were given automatic places in the Indian team after faring exceedingly well in the world meet. For two more spots three, veteran Jhanu Hansda, Bansarilin Dhar and Keziegkunuo Thano, all of Tata AA, contested. Bansarilin, who had found a place in Indian team to the world meet, failed to show her form owing to a forehead injury she sustained just a day before the trials at Jamshedpur.

A sharp dip in her showing meant the 16-year-old Naga girl Keziegkunuo and Jhanu got in with scores of 3,631 and 3,589 respectively. Kezie, who is making her senior Indian team debut, is one of the prominent junior India star.

In all 24 men and five ladies took part in the trials. Only those who attained 1,00 and above in the single FITA of the last Nationals were invited to participate, informed, Mr. Paresh Mukherjee, senior vice- president and chairman, technical committee of the AAI.

The most heart-warming factor was 13 men and five women shot above 1,2500 points. Till the mid-90s only three or four could reach this figure. The number of high scores augurs well for Indian archery, opined Sanjeeva Singh, the man behind the Tata AA.

The squad:

Men: Kailash, Satyadev Prasad and Raj Kumar (all UP) and Gautam Singh (Jharkhand). Stand-by: Viswas (UP). Women: Dola Banerjee, Chekrevolu Swuro, Keziegkunuo Thano and Jhanu Hansda (all Jharkhand).

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Section  : Sport
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