Deepika ready for World Cup challenge

KOLKATA: Deepika Kumari is in no mood to look back as some important targets loom in front. The 18-year-old archery sensation feels too much shouldn't be read into her shocking loss at the National Games in February, nor should the Indian team worry too much over who they are leaving behind as they embark upon the journey to the May 2-7 World Cup in Croatia.
"The new format gives a great chance to the underdog, and I am not overly alarmed by the Jamshedpur result," Deepika, who won the individual gold in addition to the one with the team, said of her loss in the National Games final to Assam's Prativo Boro."It's only that the new format will require even more focus."
Dola Banerjee will be missing from the team that leaves for Porec in Croatia later this month after she failed to qualify for the team late last month. "Yes, it always helps to have someone like her in the team but we have the talent and the experience in the team to do well in Croatia," Deepika said soon after picking up the Best Junior Sportsperson of the Country award of the Calcutta Sports Journalists Club here on Monday.
The man who started it all with his performances in the early nineties was around too. Limba Ram, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, added to the glow with: "I think there is promise of even better things in future. I am very happy with where archery is going in India."
Some of the awardees couldn't turn up because they were busy playing or preparing. Among them was shooter Gagang Narang, adjudged Sportsperson of the Country, and Best Cricketer Manoj Tiwary.
VOTED BEST
Football: Mehtab Hossain; Cricket: Manoj Tiwary; Hockey: Bharat Chhetri; Table tennis: Subhajit Saha; Swimming: Supriya Mondal; Athletics (Men): Rahamatulla Molla; Athletics (Women): Arjina Khatun; Volleyball: Piyali Roy; Kabaddi: Sraboni Roy; Badminton: Arup Baidya; Tennis: Shivika Burman; Chess: Diptayan Ghosh; Archery: Muni Ram Tirkey; Junior Sportsperson of the Country: Deepika Kumari (archery); Sportsperson of the Country: Gagan Narang (shooting); Lifetime Achievement Award: Limba Ram (archery).