Top archers from around the country aim at the Bull’s Eye

The 4th Jharkhand State Championship and the 28th Junior Nationals were held at the JRD Tata Sports Complex during the third week of December. Over 300 archers from 26 states/units participated at the National Championships. For the first time Compound Archery, which now forms part of the World Championship, was included in the Junior Nationals

to help Indian archers prepare for it.

The host for the event, Jharkhand Archery Association, has already identified and is training school students in the age group of 12 to 14, from as many as seven schools of Jharkhand, for the Junior World Championship to be held at New Delhi in 2008. These include Jamshepdpur Public School, Beldih, KSMS, Burmamines, DBMS, Kadma and Loyola School from the steel city. “Archery is now being promoted in schools by the Jharkhand Archery Association as part of the Roadmap for Olympics 2012,” Dr T Mukherjee, President, Jharkhand Archery Association, elaborated before the Junior Nationals. The Association also plans to conduct Interschool Archery Championships at regular intervals, start training centres at Dumka and Sili, in addition to the centre at Saraikela. JAA will especially import equipment, under Central Government schemes, to provide archers in the district with the most modern equipment.

(Left) Contingents representing 27 states and sports bodies at the opening ceremony;
(right) Aruna Mishra of Tata Steel wins her category

Right from the welcome they received, to the food, accommodation and the ambience of healthy competition created by Tata Steel for India’s Women (Senior) boxers ensured that not only did they compete hard at the 6th Women (Senior) National Boxing Championship but also enjoyed every moment while doing so.

A total of 203 boxers, represented 27 States / Boards in various weight categories at the event. K C Lekha of Kerala was adjudged the Best Boxer, while Laxmi Padiya was the best loser. Haryana topped the team championship charts with 33 points, just a little ahead of Kerala which came a close second with 30 points.

The entire event was very important for the ladies and was keenly contested as the selections for the 2006 National Championship were held during it. However, without doubt the high point of the championship was the prize distribution graced by Ms Bachendri Pal, Chief, Adventure Programmes, Tata Steel and India’s ace woman mountaineer. For many of these pugilists it was their first opportunity to interact with this super achiever as well as their idol. The prizes were given away to the winners by Mr U D Ram, Director General of Police, Jharkhand.

The talent and rapid progress shown by the cadets of Tata Steel’s Athletics Academy was once again on display at the National Junior Athletics Championship held in Chennai from November 2 to 29, 2005,

Anand Kujur proved his staying power by winning the gold medal at the 5000 M event. Amit Mishra also of the Academy won the silver medal in the 1500 metre race. Jitwas Kachyap and Amol Debraj from the Training Centre as well as Sanjeev Kumar on contract with the Sports Department, won bronze medals, to take the total tally for Tata Steel up to five.

The cadets who are certain to go a long distance in athletics

Supports makes stars of “special” cadets

At the 14th National Athletics Championship of the Deaf held at Siliguri in December, these special cadets of Tata Steel’s Athletics Training Centre won 26 medals in all, including as many as 13 gold medals. Mitali Shit, Santosh Choubey and Sunny Ch Bose were the stars at the event. Mitali won four gold medals, Santosh won three gold, a silver and a bronze, while Sunny won four golds and a silver medal.