Thaindian News

Kolkata, Feb 17 (IANS) Seven Indian archers Friday entered the individual semifinals of different categories at the first Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok.

Mangal Singh Champia, who is known more for his proficiency in team events, made it to the individual semifinals for the first time after 2007, and will play Spain’s Elisa Cuesta for a place in the men’s recurve final.

Another Indian team player Chekrovolu Swuro will take on Bishindee Urangungalay of Mongolia in the women’s recurve semifinals.

Three Indian compound archers moved into the last four stage.

National champion Rajat Chauhan will fight Nguyen Tien Cuong of Vietnam and Ch. Jignas and Ritul Chatterjee will play each other in semifinals. If Chauhan manages to prevail over the Vietnamese, it could be 1-2-3 for India for the first time at a Continental meet.

In the women’s compound section, veteran Jhano Hansdah and young Gagandeep Kaur will meet Ngeain Aung of Myanmar and Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh of Malaysia respectively.

All the semifinals and the finals of the individual sections will be played Saturday.

The rest of the Indians failed to go past the quarterfinals stage.

Former compound men’s National champion Chinna Raju Srither was the lone Indian to lose in quarterfinals.

The draw of luck pitted World Junior Champion Deepika Kumari and Chekrovolu Swuro in the pre-quarterfinals where the older Indian triumphed.

Two other Indian women recurve archers, L. Bombayla Devi and Rimil Buriuly, too were eliminated in the pre-quarters.

Manjudha Soy and debutante Parveena went out of contention in the women’s compound individual section in the last 16 stage..