Sport - Archery

Talukdar finishes ninth

KOLKATA: The Indians had a modest opening day at the fourth Meteksan World Cup archery championship at Shanghai in China on Wednesday. National champion Jayanta Talukdar finished ninth overall with a total of 552 points in the men's recurve section.

Talukdar, currently placed second in the World Cup rankings with 38 points, could not even top the four Indians in the championship. Vishwash was the best Indian in the men's category, which earned him an overall seventh place.

Mangal Singh Champia was 10th and Tarundeep Rai was 28th. The current leader Ilario di Buo of Italy ended 24th.

The archers went through two rounds of 36 arrows over 70m for a total of 720 points. Koreans clinched the first three spots.

Korea again dominated the women's recurve section. The best placed Indian was Chekrovolu Swuro at sixth. Reena Kumari (12th), Punya Prabha (22nd) and Dola Banerjee (41st) finished in that order.

Jhano Hansdah was best among Indians in the women's compound event. She stood 10th overall.

Manjudha Soy (18th), Kh. Bheigyabati Chanu (19th) and Sweety Kumari (21st) followed in that order. Talukdar's ninth place finish has put him in a real spot of bother. He has been drawn to play 56th placed Eduardo Magana in the first round. The Mexican is fifth in the current World Cup ranking. — Special Correspondent

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