Rosario (Argentina): The mixed pair of Jemson Ningthoujam and Ankita Bhakat clinched the recurve team gold medal as India finished with three medals at the World Archery Youth Championships which concluded here Sunday.
This is India’s first title at the youth championships since Deepika Kumari’s victories in 2009 and 2011. India also bagged one silver and one bronze in a promising show by the youngsters.
Ningthoujam and Bhakat, seeded ninth, had upset top-seeded Korean duo in the semifinals, before beating their Russian opponents 6-2 in the final.
“I was initially feeling a little shaky but I shot very well and we won the gold. Now I’m happy,” said Bhakat. “Our coach tried to encourage us both; he was shouting ‘we have to win’, ‘we have to win’,” added her partner Ningthoujam.
Ningthoujam also returned with a second medal when he along with Shukmani Gajanan Babrekar and Atul Verma lost to a heavily-favoured Korean squad in the final of men’s team event to settle for silver.
India also bagged a bronze medal in the compound cadet women’s event when Khushbu Dhayal, Sanchita Tiwari and Divya Dhawal defeated their opponents from Great Britain 212-206 in the play-off.
The mixed team gold is India’s fourth World Archery Championship title across all disciplines. Other than Deepika’s feats, Palton Hansda, in 2006, was the first Indian archer to be crowned World Champion, when she took gold in the compound junior women’s event.
press trust of India
