Even as several big names – including Asian Games medallists Kumkum Mohod, Chikitha Taniparthi, B. Dhiraj and Sahil Jadhav – promised to make the National archery championships a star-studded affair, rain and hailstorm on the eve of the competition posed a serious challenge.

Organisers scrambled to prepare the Parade ground for the championships, which start here on Thursday, as water accumulated between the shooting line and some targets.

While sounding confident of getting the venue ready, Archery Association of Meghalaya secretary Robinson Ryntathiang said: “For the National Games, it is a test event in terms of the conduct of the competition and logistics.”

The National championships will serve as a qualifying event for the National Games, with the top eight in each category making it to the mega event

While the successful lot, including recurve archers Kumkum, Dhiraj, Ankita Bhakat, Neeraj Chauhan and their compound counterparts Sahil, Chikitha and Kushal Dalal, will look to continue their good work, experienced hands, such as Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Abhishek Verma and Ojas Deotale, will be keen to regain their touch ahead of the important 2027 calendar, comprising the World championships – a major Olympic qualifying event.

For golden girl Kumkum, who broke the Korean stranglehold on the Asian Games, this is an occasion to reassert her class.

“For Kumkum, the target is to focus on the process and give her best,” said Kumkum’s personal coach, Praful Dange.

Seasoned pro Abhishek looked forward to testing himself. “Junior archers have come up in a big way. I got enough time to polish myself, and this is a platform to see how far I have come,” he said.

Meanwhile, well-known names, including Aditi Swami, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru, and Prithika Pradeep, will miss the Nationals as they will compete in the Asia Cup Stage-3 in Hangzhou, China.