NEW DELHI: The recurve archery open selection trials which were being conducted at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur concluded on Thursday and the top four men and women will now proceed to join the national camp currently underway at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.
Yashdeep Bhoge, Sukhchain Singh, Amit Kumar, Atul Verma were the top four in the men's section while Sangeeta, Komalika Bari, Ishita and Prachi Singh made it to the top four among women. These eight will proceed to Pune in a couple of days, once SAI approval arrives.
"A few formalities are left following which they will be joining the national campers in Pune in another three-four days. They will be tested upon arrival and will join training only post the completion of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period," AAI secretary Pramod Chandurkar informed this daily.
The scores posted by all archers in the fray were far from satisfactory, but it was expected considering many did not get a chance to even practice during the nationwide lockdown. Big names like Rahul Banerjee, Mangal Singh Champia fell by the wayside.
The trials were also not short of controversy as five archers were denied the chance to participate after they arrived at the venue without getting a Covid negative certificate which was part of the tournament's SOP. The five archers were Sanjay Boro, Dhaniram Basumatary, Mukesh Boro, Promila Daimary and Sonali Basumatary. Pramila was earmarked as a strong contender with the chance to make the final Tokyo team.
What was also concerning was the lack of stringent rules for the coaches who arrived during the trials. They were not asked for RT-PCR negative certificates but were allowed inside. According to sources, they were not even given accommodation in the hotel earmarked for archers but were asked to find an alternate
hotel.