South West Khasi Hills top medal tally at Meghalaya State Archery Championship

South West Khasi Hills finished at the top of the medal standings at the Meghalaya State Archery Championship 2026, securing 25 medals as the three-day competition concluded in Shillong on August 13.

Organised by the Archery Association of Meghalaya (AAM), the championship brought together more than 200 archers and officials representing all 12 districts. The event was held at the Sports Authority of India centre on the NEHU campus.

South West Khasi Hills had taken the lead after the Indian Round on the second day and maintained its position after the compound and recurve events on the final day. The district added 12 medals on Thursday to finish with eight gold, 10 silver and seven bronze.

East Khasi Hills made a strong push on the final day, climbing from fifth to second in the overall standings. The host district finished with seven gold, seven silver and four bronze medals.

West Khasi Hills secured third place with six gold, six silver and six bronze medals. Ri-Bhoi followed in fourth with four gold, two silver and four bronze.

East Jaintia Hills finished fifth with three gold, three silver and three bronze, narrowly finishing ahead of East Garo Hills, which also won three gold and three bronze but had one fewer silver.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla attended the final day as chief guest and spent nearly three hours watching the competition. He praised the skill and precision displayed by the young archers and said the closely fought medal tally showed that the championship was not dominated by a single district.

"Thanks to the Archery Association of Meghalaya for that," Shylla said at the closing ceremony, crediting the association for its efforts to promote archery across the state.

He also praised the AAM for being "one of the most active associations in team preparation" for the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya will host in 2027.

Shylla said the state government's increased focus on sports had also strengthened support for athletes and sporting associations. According to the minister, the Sports and Youth Affairs budget has risen from Rs 70 crore to Rs 844 crore over the past seven years.

"Through this we have the ability to offer greater support to the sports associations and our athletes," he said.

The minister also highlighted the government's recently approved direct appointment policy for successful athletes, saying it was intended to encourage sportspersons to pursue their disciplines further.

Pointing to Meghalaya's performance at the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games earlier this year, Shylla said the state finished 13th overall and was targeting a place in the top five next year. Meghalaya's archers won two gold and one bronze at the Games, with archery being the only discipline in which the state secured gold.

Meghalaya State Olympic Association general secretary Finely L Pariat, joint secretary P Laloo and senior members of the Archery Association of Meghalaya were also present at the closing ceremony.