V. Pranitha

Calcutta: Vardhineni Pranitha of India was unlucky to miss out on the gold medal for the second time in the world youth archery championship at Antalya, Turkey, on Sunday, according to reports received here.

Having lost the team final to China, Pranitha had to settle for the silver medal in the junior women’s individual recurve as well.

Interestingly, Pranitha had to be content with a silver in the previous championship at Merida (Mexico) in 2006 also, where she had lost the cadet women’s recurve individual final.

Pranitha, currently with the Tata Archery Academy, was one of the three members of the Indian team, which participated in the Beijing Olympics.

Seeded fourth in the world meet, Pranitha took on the 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 the semi-finals.

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

In Merida in 2006, India had won one gold medal through Palton Hansda (junior men’s compound individual); three silver medals through Prabhat Kandir (junior men’s recurve individual), Pranitha (cadet women’s recurve individual) and the junior compound women’s team.