Thaindian News

Kolkata, April 6 (IANS) The Indian men’s recurve team of Rahul Banerjee, Mangal Singh Champia and Jayanta Talukdar clinched the gold medal, beating Great Britain 221-215 in the World Cup archery (Stage 1) final at Santo Domingo.
There were more medals for India as the women’s compound team of Jhano Hansdah, Bheigyabati Chanu and Manjudha Soy took the team bronze defeating Venezuela’s 219-208 in the play-off Sunday, according to information received here Monday.

Dola Banerjee, winner of World Cup finals at Dubai in 2007, downed her compatriot Reena Kumari in the individual recurve bronze medal play-off in the tie-breaker after the two ended the 12-arrow contest at 102-102. Reena shot a 7 and Dola replied with 8 to take the medal.

In men’s recurve final, the top seeded Indian team faced the experienced British troika of the 1992 Olympic silver medallist Simon Terry, two-time Olympian Laurence Godfrey and World Games silver medallist Alan Wills.

With a 6 in the first end, the British were trailing by two after six arrows (53-55). However, they turned a 7 by their opponents to their advantage and tied the score at the half-way mark (108-108).

It was difficult to say at that point which team would win. With three 10s in the third end, the Indians took back the lead by one point (164-163).

With only six arrows to go, two 8s by Terry and Godfrey and a 7 by Wills in the last end buried British’s hopes of recovery. The Indians clinched the gold (221-215). Bronze medal went to the US which beat Mexico 222-220.

In compound women event, shooting first in the bronze medal fight, Bosch, Guedez and Montes from Venezuela started with 25 points. With a perfect opening (10-10-10), the Indians, Chanu, Hansdah and Soy, took a 5-point lead.

At the half-way mark, the gap between the two teams was of eight points (113-105) in favour of India. The women team shot brilliantly with only 10s, 9s and 8s to clinch the bronze medal on the final score of 219-208.

In women’s recurve, Dola Banerjee got the bronxe beating compatriot Reena.

Shooting a 6 in the first end, Dola trailed by four points after three arrows (22-26) and by three at the half-way mark (48-51). However, with one 10 and two 9s in the third end, she stuck back down to the score and only trailed by one with three arrows to go (76-77). The score was tied at the end of the match. Reena shot a 7 in the shoot-off, in comparison to Dola’s 9.