State archery championship concludes; winners to represent Sikkim at nationals

KUNAL RAI

GANGTOK, : The two-day State Archery Championship organised by Sikkim Archery Association (SAA) at Khel Gaon, Reshithang concluded Friday.

Archers from across the State competed across Indian round, compound and recurve categories under senior, junior, and sub-junior divisions.

The finale had Kabi Lungchok MLA T.T. Bhutia as the chief guest alongside Sikkim Olympic Association (SOA) president Kuber Bhandari.

Addressing the gathering, chief guest T.T. Bhutia congratulated all winners and participants, abd emphasized the government’s commitment to promoting sports and nurturing young talent across the State.

 “Under the leadership of our Chief Minister P.S. Golay, sports in Sikkim have flourished. The CM himself leads by example, inspiring the youth to actively participate in sports,” said Bhutia.

He recalled the humble beginnings of archery in Sikkim, noting the progress from traditional setups to modern infrastructure and equipment supported by the State government.

“Archery is an expensive sport. Bows and arrows cost significantly, and damaged arrows cannot be reused. However, with dedication, consistency, and discipline, Sikkimese archers can achieve national and international success,” he added, urging young players to pursue archery as a profession rather than merely a hobby.

DIG (Range) and SAA vice president Tenzing Loden Lepcha highlighted the sport’s immense potential in Sikkim. “Our archers must focus on both physical fitness and mental toughness. With proper guidance and training, we can produce many more talents like Tarundeep Rai from Sikkim,” he remarked.

The winners of the State championship will go on to represent Sikkim at the upcoming national archery championships. The sub-junior championship will be held in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, junior championship in Chhattisgarh and senior championship in Hyderabad during November and December. Additionally, School Games selections were conducted during the championship, and the winners will represent the State at the National School Games in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh later this month.

RESULTS

Compound (Senior Men):

Gold: Ritesh Rai

Silver: Chandradeep Rai

Bronze: Arian Rai

Compound (Senior Women):

Gold: Chomit Lepcha

Silver: Phurba Doma Bhutia

Bronze: Sarika Subba

Recurve (Girls)

Gold: Niruta Chettri

Silver: Jolocee Lepcha

Bronze: Yam Maya Gurung

Recurve (Boys, 70m):

Gold: Tshering Norbu Bhutia

Silver: Azeeb Rai

Bronze: Aditya Ya Rai

Recurve (Men, 70m):

Gold: Arjun Hingmang

Silver: Jiten Subba

Recurve (Sub-Junior Boys):

Gold: Ronan Rai

Silver: Bishwa Rai

Bronze: Prabhakar Chettri

Compound (Sub-Junior Girls):

Gold: Diki Lhamu Sherpa

Silver: Kamakshi Gurung

Bronze: Songphung Lepcha

Indian Round (Sub-Junior Boys):

Gold: Ronak Rai

Silver: Anish Subba

Bronze: Chewang Dorjee Lepcha

Indian Round (Sub-Junior Girls)

Gold: Hissay Lhamu Sherpa

Silver: Drishya Mangar

Bronze: Sriya Tamang

Indian Round (Junior Girls):

Gold: Deki Dolma

Silver: Bindhya Gurung

Bronze: Rojana Chettri