Shooting World Cup: India finish third in Peru

New Delhi: The Indian shooting team ended third in the standings as the Peru International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup wrapped up proceedings, with Australia taking the final gold on offer in the mixed team trap event.

Two Indian pairs Prithviraj Tondaiman/Pragati Dubey and Lakshay Sheoran/Neeru finished eighth and 12th respectively with scores of 134 and 128 out of 150 targets, in qualification respectively. As China topped the tally with four gold, three silver, and six bronze medals, the USA came in second with a silver and five bronze medals less than the first-placed. India’s final tally read two gold, four silver and a lone bronze won by Saurabh Chaudhary in the men’s air pistol.

Earlier in the day, Simranpreet Kaur Brar had won silver in the women’s 25m pistol, to give India their seventh medal and a fourth silver of the competition.

India will take a lot of positives from the double-legged South American World Cup leg, which kickstarted the new international season. In the previous Argentina World Cup, India had finished second to China with a haul of four gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

“A lot of young and talented shooters like Suruchi, Arya, and Bhavtegh, played their first senior world cups on this tour. Overall, as well, it was a young squad, and the exposure of going halfway around the world into alien conditions, adapting to the surroundings, and the ranges, and then bringing out your best for India, will be an experience that will hold them in good stead.

"Remember, the next LA Olympics will be a similar experience. Having said that, given the quality of competition, the squad as they have been doing generally over the years, performed splendidly. We heartily congratulate the entire squad, including the hard-working coaches and support staff, for flying the country’s flag high once again on the global stage,” said an elated K. Sultan Singh, Secretary General, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

Indian shooters reached a total of 32 finals, including medal matches in the mixed events, and returned with 15 medals including six gold. The 18-year-old Suruchi was the most successful, bringing home three gold and one bronze medal, the NRAI said in a release. (IANS)

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