NEW DELHI: Chinese archers aimed with greater accuracy to win five of the six individual medals at stake making a clean sweep in the women’s section in the Federation Cup Archery International Tournament here on April 19th.

Fu Shengjun (315 points) and Jiao Qian (313) claimed the gold in the men’s and women’s section respectively after eight archers balled it out in the grand fita final round at the Karnail Singh Stadium,

Ace Archer Limba Ram, who was in the second spot till the last three arrows were shot over 90 metres slid down to finish fourth but Shayam Lal sprang up from bottom of the table to win the bronze after losing the silver to Chinese Liang Quizhong in the tie breaker.

Fu, 18, improved over longer distance and maintained his first position after the end of 50 metres. He was at the fourth spot with 85 points at the end of the opening 30 metres but steadied even though the wind blew at greater speed.

In the women’s section, the Chinese dominated as Jiao, Chen Tao (312) and Zhang Fan (296) made a 123. The best was by India’s Sonam Yangchen who finished fourth with 286.

Earlier in the semifinal, India’s 15 year old sensation Vesuzola Swuro could not withstand stiffer competition and finished 12th with 255. India and China had four archers in the women’s final round, Singapore’s Chua Lian Heong fell in the round of 12.

In the men’s section, Limba Ram aimed with a better eye on the target to be second throughout. At one stage he narrowed the gap with the leader to a mere two points but Fu, the top ranked Chinese Marksman, was unrelenting.

Limba Ram wavered and found himself go down in the last three. But Shyam Lal managed to stop the Chinese from making a clean sweep.

Trailing in the eight stop at the end of 30m and 50m, the 23 year old Banaswara tribal climbed to the fifth spot in the 70 metres and was lying third behind Ram with 287 points in the penultimate round.

Liang’s performance fluctuated initially but he gradually moved up. He was third at the end of 70m and tied with Shyam Lal at 309 after 90m.

With both archers getting three arrows each to break the stalemate, Liang took 25 out of possible 30 while Shyam Lal scored 22 which gave the third place to the latter.

Skaljang Dorji, a member of the team along with Shyam Lal and Limba Ram that won team gold in China Asian Cup, was fifth with 303 while Sanjeeva Singh was sixth.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 27, 1990