Assured of financial assistance from a UK-based security agency, 14-year-old upcoming tribal archer from Jharkhand, Mangal Ho, was now aiming for a medal in the 2012 London Olympic Games.A native of Patahatu village in Saraikela-Kharswan district of Jharkhand, Ho was among the 14 aspiring sportspersons selected by UK-based security agency Group 4 Securicor, for a global campaign under its G4S teen programme to support upcoming sportspersons till the 2012 Olympic Games.Manda Snigdha of Hyderabad (shooting) was the other Indian selected by the security agency.Ho signed an agreement with the security agency on June 4 at their Delhi office and then flew to London to have four-day physical test, Saraikela-Kharswan district Archery Association secretary, Suman Chandra Mohanty, said today.Group 4 Securicor has launched this initiative in the countries where it operates as part of charitable and community involvement.The company has selected 14 athletes from all over the world, Mohanty said, adding that as part of the funding programme, the company will be assisting the 14 selected with a grant of $ 10,000 per year.Ho will be able to train under an Olympic champion for four days each year, Mohanty said.Ho, a class X student of Dhatkidih High School in Kharswan and a product of the district archery academy was selected on the basis of his performance at the Indian team selection trials held at Jamshedpur, where he was ranked No. 1 scoring over 1300 points.The son of a poor farmer, he shot into the limelight when he won gold medals in the recurve division at the National School Championship at Amravati in 2006 and sub-junior nationals at Chattisgarh.Happy with the opportunity at hand, he said: “I am really glad to be selected and will now concentrate on the game to make my country proud by winning a medal in the 2012 Olympics. As equipment are costly, financial crunch have been a hindrance.”He has already received Rs 50,000 from the company to buy the necessary equipment.
