Rains major player as leader board remain unchanged in natl archery

Kolkata, June 13 (UNI) If heat and humidity made life miserable for both established and aspiring archers on the opening day on Tuesday, torrential rain in the forenoon and swarms of insects in the afternoon compounded the woe of the participants at the SAI, Eastern Centre, today.

The heavy downpour left the entire field submerged in a sheet of water forcing a 1 p.m. start. The delayed start meant that the second FITA qualifying round over four distances could not be completed. Failing light and insect bite compelled an early closure and the 30m competition was shifted for 9 a m start tomorrow.

The leader board, however, remained the same after the completion of three distance rounds with overnight leaders ruling the roost in all the four categories: men and women's recurve and men and women's compound.

Rahul Banerjee of Steel Plant Sports Board (SPSB) garnered a three-round (90m, 70m and 50m) total of 974 to be on top with a total of 2319. He scored 1345 in the first FITA qualifying round.

His teammate Jayanta Talukdar retained his second position with a three-round total of 971.Mangal Singh Champia of Railways was third with a total of 949 for three distance rounds in the men's recurve bow section.

The ladies recurve category, Chekrovolu Swuro of Nagaland maintained her supremacy with a three-round (70m, 60m&50m) total of 973 while Dola Banerjee and L. Bombayla Devi, both of Railways remained second and third.

Naresh Damor of Railway put in a bit of extra effort to nudge ahead of joint leader Jayantilal Ninoma of Rajasthan in the men's compound bow section with a total of 996 points for an overall total of 2337. Ninoma was second and Cherukuri Lenin of Andhra Pradesh was third. National compound champion Jhano Hansdah of Jharkhand maintained her supremacy in the women's section with a total of 1023 points from three distance rounds. She reached a total of 2406 points. Bheigyabati Chanu and Sumanlata Murmu, both her statemates, came in second and third.

The results: 2nd FITA qualifying round, Recurve (men): 1. Rahul Banerjee (SPSB) 2319 points, 2. Jayanta Talukdar (SPSB) 2305, 3. Mangal Singh Champia (Rly) 2276.

Women: Chekrovolu Swuro (Nag) 2300 points, 2. Dola Banerjee (Rly) 2290, 3. L. Bombayla Devi (Rly) 2260.

Compound (men): 1. Naresh Damor (Rly) 2337 points, 2. Jayantilal Ninoma (Raj) 2331, 3. Ch. Lenin (AP) 2313. Women: Jhano Hansdah (Jhar) 2406 points, 2. Bheigyabati Chanu (Jhar) 2362, 3. Sumanlata Murmu (Jhar) 2312.

UNI