On 1st and 2nd of August, the 1st Bhutan (BAF) -Japan (SEISA) Friendship Virtual Archery Tournament was held between Bhutan and Japan via ZOOM. This event was organized by Ms. Sally Park, Head Coach of Bhutan Archery Federation (BAF), and supported by SEISA Group. SEISA Kokusai High School Shonan Archery Club students - Mr. Nidup, Ms. Sonam and Mr. Okumura participated in the event as "Team Japan" with five JOC Elite Academy students and three archers from the Japan National Team. Furthermore, team Bhutan was represented by four archers who won silver and bronze medals at the South Asian Games in December in addition to a Paralympic wheelchair archer Mr. Pema. On the first day of the tournament, the Mixed Team and Individual Qualifying Rounds were held and the Individual Finals were held on the second day.
On the first day, the BAF, Japan National Team and Elite Academy mixed team, and SEISA Kokusai High School Shonan participated in the Mixed Round Match. Mr. Nidup and Ms. Sonam participating as "Team Japan". Mr. Nidup and Ms. Sonam challenged the first match against a BAF pair leading by the BAF national representative archer, Ms. Karma. They were tense and their movements were stiff, and as a result they lost the game 0-6 without a single point. After that, the next opponents for the third place game were the pairing of Sonam Dema who had been leading Olympic archery in Bhutan before Karma, and Kinley Tshering, who is the leading youth archer. And thanks to the encouragement from the Team JAPAN, the SEISA Bhutan archer pair turned over a new leaf and won this match in straight sets 6-0 thereby taking third place. Ms. Sonam said happily, "I was very nervous and my hands were shaking at the end.” Mr. Nidup also reached his best score of his own. This first unique game has become a fantastic event for all of participated archers for both countries, made lots of happiness and brought smiles to everyone.
