The 19th edition of Chief Minister’s Gold Cup Archery Tournament (Compound) kicked off at Archery Shooting Range in Tenzing Namgyal Memorial Ground, Tathangchen on Sunday.
Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Department, Kunga Nima Lepcha, who was present as the chief guest of the inaugural day, has declared the tournament open.
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The month-long tournament is being organized by Sikkim Archery Association (SAA).
A total of 23 teams from different parts of Sikkim, neighboring hills and Bhutan have been participating in this prestigious traditional form of archery tournament of Sikkim.
The tournament has 14 teams from different parts of Sikkim, two from neighbouring hills and seven from Bhutan.
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The tournament is also the first event by the newly elected executive committee of the SAA led by Sonam Dorjee Bhutia as president.
The inaugural match of the tournament was played between Penden Cement, Bhutan and Red Bull, Gangtok, in which the former defeated the latter with 38-18 points.
On Monday, the second match of the tournament will be played between TAC Namchi and Guruda, Gangtok.
Also read: Sikkim to host archery tourney from Feb 23
Speaking to media persons, the minister, who is also the chief patron of the association, congratulated Sikkim Archery Association for working to preserve and promote the traditional form of archery.
He stated that archery was always an old traditional and popular sport of Sikkim.
He encouraged the new committee of SAA to take the traditional and modern archery together and to provide wider platform to local archers to take them to the national and international levels.
While stating that Sikkim has huge potential in archery to do well in the international level, he stressed that the State government would provide its full support to take local archers in the national and international level.
He mentioned that chief minister PS Golay has extended his full support to make this tournament an annual event of the State.
“The chief minister has been working in sports sector in the priority basis to provide opportunity and exposure and best facilities and infrastructures to local sportspersons to take them to national and international level,” he expressed.
He further expressed that the government has been trying to engage local youths in the healthy and productive activities through sports and encouraging them to takes as a career.