6-member archery team readied to represent State at Junior Nationals

GANGTOK, 02 Dec: A six-member team of the Sikkim Archery Association [SAA] will be representing the State at the 34th edition of Junior National Archery Championship [Recurve, Compound & Indian Round] scheduled to be held from 04-09 December at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex, Shillong.

The team has Yogesh Limboo, Bhupen Rai and Devraj Rai for Recurve Round, while Bimal Rai, Arpan Rai and Pranay Gurung will represent the State in the Indian Round. The team will be accompanied by Chief Coach Zigmee Youzar Lepcha, and will have Dawa Zigden as the team manager.
Archery Association of India [AAI] has selected SAA general secretary, Dr KB Gurung, as the AAI Observer for the championship.
The SAA president, PHE Minister, TT Bhutia along with vice-president, Dr Ongden Bhutia, general secretary Dr KB Gurung, publicity secretary Karma Denzongpa and executive members, accompanied by Sports Secretary, Karma P Bhutia, interacted with team members and coaches during a practice session at Paljor Stadium today.
The Minister encouraged the archers to be confident and display discipline at the tournament.
“If our archers perform well consistently, then it will not only bring laurels to them but to the State as well,” Mr. Bhutia said.
He mentioned that the state government has been providing all facilities, infrastructure and even cash incentives to sportspersons, so it was now up to them to take full advantage of the these facilities and earn the highest possible merit.
The Minister further urged them to encourage the younger generation towards archery with their performance and lead them on a positive and constructive path.
Dr. Gurung mentioned that it is a matter of respect and honour for the state that an Observer for the championship has been chosen from Sikkim. He added that SAA has a good image in the country due to the consistent performance of the association led by its president, Mr. Bhutia, for the development and promotion of archery in the state.
Dr. Gurung had recently represented India at the World Cup Stage IV and Archery Seminar at Shanghai as an AAI official.
The Chief Coach, in turn, informed that the Sikkim team is taking part in the Recurve event for the first time, an option opened after recurve equipment was provided by the Sports and Youth Affairs Department.
The association has also expressed its gratitude to the Sports Department and to the state government for providing equipment to the association for the development of archery in Sikkim.
He added that the team underwent coaching camps at Bhaichung Stadium in Namchi and at Paljor Stadium here.
Mr. Lepcha also mentioned that the state has a women’s team as well but due to school examinations clashing with the tournament dates, it was not possible to take them along and added that taking the men’s team also proved to be a difficult task due to the same reason.
The state-team is leaving on Saturday for the championship.