Kolkata: In a memorable day for Indians, seven of them made the semifinals in different categories of the first Asian Grand Prix archery in Bangkok on Friday.
According to information received here, Mangal Singh Champia made the men`s individual recurve semifinals after 2007 to set up a last four clash against Spain`s Elisa Cuesta.
Another team player, Chekrovolu Swuro will take on Bishindee Urangungalay of Mongolia in the women`s recurve semifinals.
Three Indian compound archers moved into the last four stage.
National champion Rajat Chauhan will take on Nguyen Tien Cuong of Vietnam, while Chittibomma Jignas and Ritul Chatterjee will play each other in the semifinals.
If Chauhan manages to prevail over the Vietnamese, it could be clean sweep for India for the first time at a continental meet.
In the women`s compound section, veteran Jhano Hansdah and young Gagandeep Kaur will meet Ngeain Aung of Myanmar and Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh of Malaysia respectively.
All the semifinals and the finals of the individual sections will be played tomorrow.
The rest of the Indians failed to go past the last eight hurdle.
Former compound men`s National champion Chinna Raju Srither was the lone Indian to lose in quarterfinals.
The draw of luck pitted World Junior champion Deepika Kumari and Chekrovolu Swuro in the pre-quarterfinals where the latter triumphed.
Two other Indian women recurve archers, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Buriuly too were eliminated in the last 16.
Manjudha Soy and debutante Parveena went out of contention in the women`s compound individual sections in the last 16 stage.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 17, 2012, 21:53