Work in progress: Deepika wins silver

“I have changed a few things in my basic technique,” she said. “I have been working on a new anchor position (the stance) and a different hooking – the way the arrow is held before release,” Deepika explained. “I was told by my coaches that my technique would eventually hurt my body. But I was told not to tinker with any aspect of shooting last year as it was an Olympic year. So we are doing it now.”

Earlier,Deepika had dispatched Kontu Jyothi (6-2),Satbir Kaur (6-2) and Dola Banerjee (7-1) in convincing fashion to set up the final clash with Rimil,who had scored one-sided wins over Sita Rani Tudu,Reshma Banerjee and Chekrovolu Swuro.

Deepika hit a string of 10s and took the first two ends – 26-25 and 28-26 – to lead 4-0 in the best-of-five-sets showdown on Sunday. But Rimil found her way back into the contest and got back to 4-4 in the next two. In the fifth,both the archers tallied 25 points,and split the points. The stage was set for the tie-breaker shot. But once again the duo were inseparable as they both shot 10s. Rimil,though,was adjudged the winner after the judges deemed her arrow to be the closest to the centre.

A smiling Deepika knew she had done all she could have to stay in the contest. “It is not all bad. Despite my new technique,I was fighting for top positions here. And I was more concerned about winning my place in the team. I have done that so I’m happy,” she said. The bronze was won by Dola Banerjee,who beat Bombayla Devi 6-2.

Rai,Priyank return

Army’s Tarundeep Rai won back his place in the team even after he was beaten 6-4 in the men’s recurve final by Atanu Das. Rai had taken some time out after the Olympics and had only started to practice in January. Rai had won three out of the four events to finish with 31 points out of a possible 32 in the ranking tournament. Also returning to the Indian fold was ITBP’s Priyank Tyagi,who last represented India back in 2008. Jayanta Talukdar rounded off the team,bagging the bronze.

Indian squads: Compound Men: Rajat Chauhan,Abhishek Verma,Sandeep Kumar,Kh. Ratan Singh; Compound Women: V Jyothi Surekha,Manjudha Soy,Trisha Deb,P Lily Chanu; Recurve Men: Tarundeep Rai,Atanu Das,Priyank Tyagi,Jayanta Talukdar; Recurve Women: Rimil Buriuly,Deepika Kumari,Dola Banerjee,L Bombayla Devi.