Anita and Sony Kumari's fondness for a certain yellow metal is now well known.

So it was no surprise when the two promising archers - not siblings - of the state picked up gold medals on Day One of 35th Sub-junior National Archery Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Wednesday.

While Anita (15) won the 30m individual top slot in the Indian round (shooting with traditional bows), Sony (15) won an individual gold in the 20m event to ensure that Jharkhand's campaign at the meet starts on a positive note.

The Kumaris seem keen on following in the footsteps of Golden Girl Deepika Kumari.

' Bahut khush hun swarn jit kar. Mehnat kaam aaya (Very happy to have won gold. The hard work paid off),' said Anita who logged 338 points (out of 360).

Anita's father, Budheshwar Baraik, is a farmer while mother Sushila Devi is a homemaker. They live in Silli, 40km from Ranchi, where she trains under mentors Prakash Ram and Sishir Mahto at Silli Archery Training Centre.

'I belong to a modest family of farmers and want to make it big in the world of archery. I have been picking gold medals quite consistently. I want to earn a name like Deepika didi,' Anita giggled.

The Class IX student of Rajkiya Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya in Nawadih, Silli, has a history of top podium finishes ever since she held the bow three years back.

Anita claimed individual gold in the 33rd sub-junior nationals in Bangalore in 2012 before walking home with another individual gold at the 58th National School Archery Meet in Calcutta in 2013. She has also won several silver and bronze medals.

' Teen saal huye archery shuru kiya. Abhi aur swarn jitna hain (I started archery three years back. I want to win more gold medals),' Anita said before heading for some lunch.

Unlike her counterpart Anita, Sony is forced to practice at the modest railway ground in Mohuda, Dhanbad. Her background notwithstanding, she is determined to do well in the sport.

She scored an enviable 347 points (out of 360) to win the 20m distance gold medal on Wednesday.

The Class IX student of Katras Middle School said she was confident of winning the gold all along. 'I am shooting well for several months now. Hence, I was confident about my prospects,' said the girl who lives in Hatudih slum at Mohuda in Dhanbad.

Father Sikandar Singh, an auto-rickshaw agent in Dhanbad, is always encouraging her, while mother Meena is a homemaker.

' Maa-baap ka bahut support milta hain. Shayad isliye mein archery mein achha kar rahin hun (I get a lot of support from my parents. May be that's why I am doing well in archery),' Sony said.

Sony won team gold at the 2012 Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) National Archery Meet in Ranchi and bagged individual and team golds at the 35th Junior Nationals in Hyderabad the following year.

She also picked up an individual gold at the 58th School National Meet held in Calcutta in 2013.

Her commendable performance helped her win a berth in the state outfit for a seniors' national meet staged at Jabalpur in 2013. Sony did not disappoint. She won a team bronze.

Mentor Buddheshwar Murmu said Sony had the potential of making it big. 'She is another Deepika Kumari in the making. Proper guidance and support can do wonders to her performance. I'll advise her to switch to the recurve division,' he added.