Kolkata, July 14 (Inditop.com) Indian men’s junior recurve team were the saving grace on day one of the 11th Youth World Archery Championship at Ogden, Utah (US), according to information received here.
Amid the dominating displays by Korea in recurve and hosts United States in compound categories of the junior section, India’s Atanu Das stood fifth overall in the individual qualification of junior recurve with a total of 1294 points.
Pawan Xalxo of Jharkhand was placed overall 10th with 1279 points while the third Indian Hemanta Basumatary of Assam was 28th with 1249 points.
The three combined to give India a total of 3822 points that earned India a creditable second place in the team qualification ranking behind Korea (4018). India will take on 15th ranked Khazakstan in the first round of team elimination.
Korea was first and Ukraine third in the qualifiers.
The women’s recurve team disappointed as Balemai Hansda (1224), Seema Verma (1210) and Sumita Kumari (1187), ended 38th, 44th and 53rd respectively. The team total of 3621 gave India the 14th place in a 16-team field.
India’s first round opponent will be third placed Ukraine (3837). Korea (4040) and China (3950) were the top two sides.
Indian junior men compound trio of Arjun Rao (1330, 24th), Ksh. Nikon Singh (1317, 31st) and Sanjay Swansi (1313, 34th) earned India an overall seventh position with a total of 3960 points. The US topped the field with 4072. India will play 10th ranked Belgium in the first round.
The junior women compound team finished fifth and last. Priyanshu Kachhap (1297, 21st), Asrita Kerketta (1292, 22nd) and Kiran Majhi (1254, 24th) gave India a total of 3843 points.
The competition continues Tuesday with the qualifications for recurve cadets men, recurve cadets women followed by compound cadets men and compound cadets women.
As many as 450 archers are in fray from 60 countries in the meet, which serves as the main qualifier for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
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