Railaways emerge overall champ;Three new individual NTL champ

Jamshedpur, Jan 31 (UNI) Railways emerged overall champions, while Services became runners up and last year's overall champions Steel Plants Sports Board(SPSB) was relegated to the third spot on the final day of the 28th senior National Archery championship at the J R D Tata Sports Complex here today.

Railways bagged 50 points to top the medal tally with 14 medals (6 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze), while Services earned 42 points with 12 medals (gold 4, silver 6 and bronze 2) and SPSB managed 12 medals (gold 4, silver 5 and bronze 3).

Ace archer Dola Banerjee's younger brother Rahul Banerjee bagged (SPSB) gold in the men's recurve individual champion (Olympic round) with 111 points, edging past Railways Mangal Singh Champia, who scored 110 points.

Rahul got his maiden gold in this category.

Earlier, he managed bronze in Kolkata national in 2006.

Bijay Rai of Meghalaya returned with gold in the men's compound individual champion (Olympic round) after he was declared loser to Delhi's Vikash Sherawat in tossing up coins following a tie in yesterday's semifinal.

But the organinsers realised their mistake as the rules was changed and the duo were recalled for fresh tie-breaker this morning in which the Shillong boy won 10-9 to enter the final round.

He beat Santosh Tamang of Services 109-107 in the final round.

Sherawat had to be satisfied with a bronze.

Despite coming down to the fourth spot in overall championship last year's runners up Jharkhand had something to cheer about as host team's young archers Namita Yadav (109 points) and Niva Karketta (108 points) earned gold and silver respectivlely in the women's compound individual champion (Olympic round).

Shreya Sen of Manipur got bronze with 107 points.

World Cup champion Dola Banerjee of Railways was a bit off colour in this meet and despite bagging gold and creating national records in the team's championship, she faltered in the women's recurve individual champion (Olympic round) in the final today.

Her team mate Bombayla Devi, who was in her peak form, snatched gold with 111 points, while Dola could score 104 points for silver.

Nagaland Chekravolu Swuro got bronze.

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