Archer V. Pranitha wins individual silver

Kolkata:

India's Vardhineni Pranitha was unlucky to miss the gold medal for the second time at the World Youth Archery Championship and had to settle for a silver in the individual recurve event at Antalya, Turkey on Sunday.

Pranitha had bagged a silver in the previous championship at Merida (Mexico) in 2006 where she lost in the cadet women's recurve individual final.

The 18-year-old from Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh, currently with the Tata Archery Academy, was one of the three members of the Indian team that participated in the Beijing Olympics.

Seeded fourth in the world meet, Pranitha took on 11th ranked Japanese Mikie Zushi in the final but went down 96-100. Earlier, the Indian had upset the top seed from Russia Inna Setpanova 109-108 in a closely fought semifinal, according to information received here.

India ended the six-day meet with two silver medals.

The Indians lost in the finals of the women's team section to China Saturday to claim their first silver.

At Merida in 2006, India had won a gold medal through Palton Hansda (junior men's compound individual section); three silver medals through Prabhat Kandir (junior men's recurve individual), Pranitha (cadet women's recurve individual) and junior compound women's team event). The lone bronze medal came in cadet men's recurve team event.