- NEW DELHI — The
Indian shooting team finished a credible second in the year’s first
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun
stage in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the young trap mixed team pair of Lakshay Sheoran
and Neeru missed a shot at a potential medal, even gold, by a point, in the
final event of the roster.
-
- With the help of the bronze picked up by the mixed team air
pistol pair of Suruchi and Saurabh Chaudhary earlier in the day on Thursday
(April 10), India’s tally of four gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, put
them just behind China, who finished on top of the standings with five gold,
three silver and three bronze medals, thanks to a 1-2 in the mixed team air
pistol on the final day. The other gold of the day was picked by Chinese Taipei
in the mixed team trap.
Also read: Indian Racing Festival to be held in Kohima
-
- The highlight of India’s performance were the gold medals
picked up by Sift Kaur Samra (women's 50m rifle 3 positions), Rudrankksh Patil
(10m air rifle men), Suruchi (10m air pistol women), and Vijayveer Sidhu (25m
rapid-fire pistol men), the last named becoming the first Indian to ever win an
ISSF World Cup gold in the event. Teenager Suruchi’s emphatic victory over a
top field was also a showstopping moment of the tournament.
-
- The four together average just 21 years of age, and two
among them, Sift and Vijayveer, are already Olympians.
-
- Also noteworthy was the silver-winning performance in the
women’s 25m pistol by yet another young Paris Olympian, Esha Singh, all of 20
and a reigning mixed team world champion, signalling no letup in intent after a
barren maiden Olympic Games.
-
- Heartwarming performances were also delivered by the likes
of Chain Singh, an Asian Games medallist in men’s 3P from over a decade ago,
winning his first individual ISSF World Cup medal, as well as former Asian
Games and Youth Olympic Games champion Saurabh Chaudhary, making a return to
the ISSF World Cup medals fold after a gap of two years.
-
- The eldest of the squad, Zoravar Singh Sandhu, who has been
competing in ISSF World Cups since 1998, also showed great heart to finish
seventh in the men’s trap, finishing second best in a five-way shoot-off for
the sixth and last final qualifying spot.
-
- The squad now moves to Lima in Peru, where the second South
American leg and the second leg of the combined ISSF World Cup stage will see
competitions begin on April 15
