Meghalaya archery championship brings together all 12 districts ahead of National Games

More than 200 archers and officials from across Meghalaya are taking part in the Meghalaya State Archery Championship 2026, which began at the Sports Authority of India Centre on the NEHU campus on August 11.

Organised by the Archery Association of Meghalaya (AAM), the three-day championship has drawn participation from all 12 districts of the state, with competitors across age groups taking part in the Indian Round, recurve and compound categories in both individual and team events.

The opening day was dedicated to Indian Round competitions, with the first medals scheduled to be awarded on Wednesday.

The championship comes as Meghalaya steps up preparations for the 39th National Games, which the state is scheduled to host next year. Secretary of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs Isawanda Laloo said sports associations and athletes were intensifying preparations for the Games.

Meghalaya's recent success in archery has added to expectations ahead of the multi-sport event. At the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games earlier this year, the state won two gold medals, both in archery, along with a bronze.

"That shows that all the efforts of the association are paying off," Laloo said, while urging the participating archers to build on the state's recent performances.

She also said two Centres of Excellence were being developed in the Garo Hills and Khasi-Jaintia Hills as part of efforts to strengthen sports infrastructure in the state.

Meghalaya State Olympic Association general secretary Finely L Pariat and assistant director of Sports and Youth Affairs Khroobok Passah also attended the opening ceremony. Laloo and Pariat also tried their hand at recurve archery during the event.

The keynote address was delivered by Matsiewdor War Nongbri, chief adviser to AAM, former archer and archery judge. She traced the evolution of archery from a traditional means of survival to a modern competitive sport.

She also highlighted the contribution of Meghalayan archer Woodward Sohliya to Indian archery. Sohliya played a key role in developing the Indian Round, which remains one of the disciplines contested at the championship.

The state is also set to host the Senior National Archery Championship later this year. Laloo said the event would be treated as a test event for the National Games, allowing Meghalaya to assess its preparations for hosting a major national-level competition.

War Nongbri said the state had made significant progress in strengthening its archery ecosystem, including through improved coaching, performance support and equipment ahead of the National Games.