DEHRADUN, Feb 6: Emerging West Bengal archer Juyel Sarkar stunned veteran Tarundeep Rai, a four-time Olympian, to emerge the recurve champion, while seasoned Deepika Kumari bagged the women’s gold at the 38th National Games here on Thursday.
Jharkhand and Maharashtra clinched two gold each while West Bengal won one on the sixth and penultimate day of archery competitions.
The highly-decorated Deepika, who reached the quarterfinals in the women’s event in the Paris Olympics, clinched two gold — one each in the individual and team event.
The 18-year-old Juyel, who hails from Malda and trains at the Jhargram Archery Academy, beat the 40-year-old Rai of Sikkim 6-2 in the semifinals, before bagging the top honours with a 6-4 win over Indra Chand Indra of Services in the summit clash.
Rai, a 2010 Asian Games silver medallist, however earned a bronze, defeating Rahul of Services 6-2 in the third-place playoff.
The 30-year-old Deepika had to sweat out to beat Ankita of Bihar 6-4 and earn the gold for Jharkhand, while her statemate Komalika Boro bagged the bronze.
Jharkhand’s women’s team of Deepika, Komalika, Ankita Bhakat and Tamanna Verma could not weave its magic, losing to Maharashtra in 0-6 in a lopsided final. Haryana bagged the women’s team bronze.
Jharkhand’s men’s recurve team of Goldi Mishra, Shrey Bhardwaj, Vishnu Choudhary and Gurucharan Besra pipped Uttar Pradesh 5-4 in a gripping final to claim the gold. Services settled for the bronze.Maharashtra duo of Shukmani Gajanan Babrekar and Gatha Anandrao Khadake won gold in the recurve mixed team event. (PTI)
