THE curtain came down on the 2022 National Archery Indoor Championships last Saturday at the National Gymnasium as the finalists waged a tough battle for the top spots.

The match play events began in the Barebow division with the finalists in their respective cartegories; Men U18, Women U18, Men and Women. In the Men U18, Luzigue Stanley of Nations Archery Club took the gold against Antuwan Lamazon of The Archery Guild who received silver, and Alistair Cedarry also of Nations copped the bronze.

In the Women U18, Malaika Bynoe took gold, as Katiffa Fraser took silver and Stephanie McTurk, bronze, all of whom are from Nations Archery Club.

The Men Barebow saw Archery Guyana’s Jeewanram Persaud and ProArchers’ Mehandra Chatargum battle it out for the gold medal. Persaud emerged victorious, with Chatargum taking the silver and Muhammad Zamaluddin also from Archery Guyana taking the bronze.

In the Men Recurve finals Persaud came up against Sean Duncan, but it was Duncan who took the gold leaving Persaud with the silver and Nicholas Hing the bronze.

The Men U18 recurve matches were all Nations’ archers as Christian Craigen took gold over Nicholas Sookdeo’s silver and Alistair Cedarry’s bronze. Sookdeo was the youngest archer to have competed in the competition.

For the Women U18 Recurve Nations Archery’s Malaika Bynoe received gold as no other archer contested her division and category.

In the Women Recurve matches Samira Duncan (The Archery Guild) took home the gold medal against Archery Guyana’s Roshini Boodhoo who took silver Bibi Saleema Salim also from The Archery Guild copped the bronze.

The final match was the Women Barebow which was a nail-biting affair. The Archery Guild’s Julie-Ann Williams beat Roshini Boodhoo to the gold in a 1-arrow shoot off with Williams’ arrow being closest to centre. Boodhoo took the silver. Harshita Chatterjee of ProArchers took the bronze in this division.

At the Presentation Ceremony after the event, Secretary-General of Archery Guyana, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon thanked the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson, the National Sports Commission and Director of Sport, Mr Steve Ninvalle, for their usual kind support of the sport. She went on to thank all the participants, coaches, parents, teachers, media, well-wishers and the general public for attending over the past week.

Mrs McKinnon was extremely pleased and encouraged by the largest-ever turnout of representatives from clubs noting that the event attracted participants from as young as twelve years old.

Secretary-General Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon announced the results as the Chair of Competitions Committee, Mr Umasankar Madray, presented the medals. Certificates of Participation were also presented to each and every participant.

Final Results are as follows:
Men U18 RECURVE
Christian Craigen – 1st gold
Nicholas Sookdeo – 2nd silver
Alistair Cedarry – 3rd bronze
Men U18 BAREBOW
Luzigue Stanley – 1st gold
Antuwan Lamazon – 2nd silver
Alistair Cedarry – 3rd bronze

Women U18 RECURVE
Malaika Bynoe – 1st gold
Women U18 BAREBOW
Malaika Bynoe – 1st gold
Katiffa Fraser – 2nd silver
Stephanie McTurk – 3rd bronze
Women RECURVE
Samira Duncan – 1st gold
Roshini Boodhoo – 2nd silver
Bibi Saleema Salim – 3rd bronze
Women BAREBOW
Julie-Ann Williams – 1st gold
Roshini Boodhoo – 2nd silver
Harshita Chatterjee – 3rd bronze
Men RECURVE
Sean Duncan – 1st gold
Jeewanram Persaud – 2nd silver
Nicholas Hing – 3rd bronze

Men BAREBOW
Jeewanram Persaud – 1st gold
Mehandra Chatargum – 2nd silver
Muhammad Zamaluddin – 3rd bronze
Director of Sport, Mr Steve Ninvalle stated that the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport are happy with the trajectory of Archery. Director Ninvalle went on to say, “We have seen a meteoric rise in the development of the sport under its present administration and stand ready to continue our support of this sport discipline.”
The Board of Directors wishes to convey its profuse thanks to the Archery National Judges for their professional work over the week. Special thanks to Director of Shooting Mr Robert Singh, Line Judge Mr Ryan McKinnon and Chairman of Judges, Mr Nicholas Hing.