Jharkhand's Ankita Bhakat and Komalika Bari clinched gold and silver, respectively in the senior women's recurve section of the 2nd NTPC National Ranking Archery Tournament at NIT ground in Adityapur, Seraikela-Kharsawan on Monday.
Both had grabbed the top two places in the ranking round on Sunday and continued with their form to win laurels for Jharkhand. Ankita and Komalika are international archers and cadets of elite Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur.
Ankita was awarded Rs 20,000 for her gold while the bespectacled Komalika received Rs 16,000.
"I dream to win a gold medal in Olympics and win laurels for my country and Jharkhand. I am working hard to achieve my dream," said Ankita, who has represented India in World Championship and Asian Games. She has won gold in World Cup.
However, world number 2 ranked and Olympian Deepika Kumari had to face defeat at the hands of Monika Saren of Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB). Jharkhand-born Deepika, who represented Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) lost in a second round tie to her opponent Monika. Both had finished with score of 8 but Monika's was declared winner as her arrow was found closest to the centre. Monika finished with the bronze.
Deepika's husband and Olympian Atanu Das (PSPB) also failed to finish in the senior men's recurve top three. Olympians Pravin Jadhav and Tarundeep Rai of Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) claimed the gold and silver, respectively whereas Maharashtra's Parth Sushant Salunkhe took the bronze.
Competition in the senior men's compound division saw Maharashtra's Prathamesh Samadhan Jawkar and Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge finish in the top two spots while Rishabh Yadav of Haryana settled for the bronze.
Priya Gujjar of Haryana won the yellow metal in the senior women's compound section, edging out Muskan Kirar of Madhya Pradesh and Taniparthi Chikitha of Telangana.
The prizes to the winners were handed over by RSB Transmission managing director S.K. Behera in the presence of Seraikela-Kharsawan District Archery Association president Meera Munda, secretary Sumanta Mohanty and other guests.
Competition in junior recurve and compound section will begin on April 6.
