Thinley Namgay

The 2024 Druk Wangyal National Archery Tournament at the Changlimithang Archery Range in Thimphu is off to a thrilling start, with a record 58 teams from 50 gewogs, vying for victory in this prestigious event.

The traditional archery competition, which began on November 4, will run through February. This year, the tournament features a unique twist—all archers represent their respective gewogs in a format designed to promote unity and foster local talent.

The second matches, held yesterday saw a fierce showdown between Kanglung gewog and Shumar gewog in Pool A, and Radhi gewog and Balam gewog in Pool B. However, neither match ended with a clear winner.

In the Kanglung-Shumar contest, the teams split the first two sets. Kanglung won the first set 25-21, but Shumar was leading 18-10 in the second set when the game was called off at 4:30 PM. In the Radhi-Balam match, Radhi claimed the first set 25-22, but Balam was in control of the second set, leading 16-7 when the match ended.

Radhi’s captain, Dorji Phuntsho, praised his opponents’ skill while acknowledging the unpredictability of the game. “My team hopes to win, but it depends on luck.”

Kanglung’s captain Karma, expressed confidence in his team’s experience, highlighting the players’ participation in previous tournaments. “We are carefully selected to perform well and aim to defeat our opponents,” he said.

Organised by the Bhutan Indigenous Games and Sports Association (BIGSA), the Druk Wangyal National Archery Tournament is an annual event that honours the 2003 victory over foreign militants and pays tribute to His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo.

The tournament follows a knockout format, with each team consisting of 13 players, including two substitutes. Each team paid an entry fee of Nu 15,000.

BIGSA’s official, Tshering Choki, said that this year’s tournament differs slightly from previous years, as participation is limited specifically to archers from each respective gewog, as opposed to the open competition format of the past. “BIGSA decided to provide more archers with the opportunity to foster unity among gewogs and to promote archery,” she said.

For transparency, BIGSA verified archers through their citizenship identity cards to ensure they represent their respective gewog.

During the matches held between  November 4 and 5, Mongar gewog defeated Toedwang gewog with scores of 25-0 and 25-3. Similarly, Dakar gewog triumphed over Chali gewog in two straight sets, 25-8 and 25-20.

Archers expressed that the inclusion of different gewogs in the tournament demonstrates BIGSA’s commitment to promoting traditional archery tournaments beyond a few strong teams usually based in Thimphu.

“Traditional archery holds great significance in Bhutanese culture, heritage, and social life,” said an archer.