India win 3 gold at Asian Grand Prix archery

Kolkata: India clinched three gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the ongoing first Asian Grand Prix Archery tournament in Bangkok on Saturday.

According to information received here, the Indian mixed team reigned supreme in both recurve and compound sections to bag two gold medals.

Earlier in the day, powered by a stupendous performance in the compound section, India claimed one gold, three silver and one bronze.

The day belonged to teenage duo of Chittibomma Jignas and national champion Rajat Chauhan as they gave India a top-two finish in the men's compound sections.

Fresh from winning the Senior Nationals in Jamshedpur, Chauhan gave Jignas a tough fight in the final with both being tied 144-144.

Both hit the bull's eye but Jignas' arrow found to be closer to the centre to earn him the gold ahead of Chauhan who made it memorable making the final in his maiden international outing.

India missed a clean sweep narrowly when Ritul Chatterjee bowed to Nguyen Tien Cuong of Vietnam 143-147 in the bronze play-off.

Chauhan put the disappointment of losing the gold in the individual behind, when he partnered Jhano Hansdah to beat the Myanmar duo 151-148 for a gold in the mixed pair.

Both the Indian entries in the women's compound semifinals - Jhano and Gagandeep Kaur - were beaten on way to the final.

Jhano lost to eventual gold medallist Aung Ngeain of Myanmar 142-145 and Gagandeep lost to silver medalist Nurfatehah Mat Salleh Fatin of Malaysia 141-143.

Jhano, however, settled for the bronze when she pipped Gagandeep after being tied 139-139. Jhano got a bull's eye to Gagandeep's 8.

In the recurve section, Mangal Singh Champia and Chekrovolu Swuro lost their respective finals narrowly to settle for a silver each.

Champia came up against a vastly experienced Romain Girouille of France in the men's recurve final where the two were locked 5-5.

But in the ensuing one-arrow tie-breaker, the Frenchman won 9-8.

Chekrovolu, who held an upper hand in the women's recurve final against Ren Hayakawa of Japan, erred after a 4-0 lead to squander the gold.

Later, India tasted first gold in the recurve section when the mixed team of Jayanta Talukdar and Laishram Bombayla Devi got the better of their Japanese opponents 143-142.