Atanu, Mehuli re-included in TOPS; young shooter Tilottama Sen also in TOPS Development Group

Atanu Das during the Men’s recurve team finals during the Hyundai Archery World Cup 2023 Stage 1 on April 23, 2023 in Antalya, Turkey.
| Photo Credit: World Archery Federation

Olympian and World Championship silver medallist archer Atanu Das has been reinducted in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) following his impressive performances at the domestic circuit and the Archery World Cup in Antalya this year.

Atanu, who had scored 673 points to claim the fourth spot in the men’s recurve individual rankings, was making a return to international outdoor competition after nearly one-and-a-half years.

Other big names to be included in TOPS is rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, who won the 10m air rifle event at the National Shooting Trials this year and 15-year-old Tilottama Sen.

Sen had earlier won bronze in 10m air rifle event at Cairo World Cup this year, that too in her debut outing in the senior circuit. She also has Junior World Championships bronze and team gold under her belt which she won in 2022.

A total of 27 new names were inducted in the TOPS Core and Development lists which now takes the total number of TOPS athletes to 270 (101 in Core, 169 in Development).

Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold winner Vinesh Phogat, who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar, demanding arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegation of sexually harassing, remained in the core list of the scheme.