Rathore among world's top 3 double trap shooters

NEW DELHI: India's Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has shot up to be among the top three double trap shooters of the world following his gold medal finish in the ISSF World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.

The Army marksman, who only recently got back his form with his new Perazzi DB gun which was lost subsequently, jumped four places up from his previous seventh spot in the latest rankings.

Rathore is now running from pillar to post in a bid to locate the gun and also get a replacement without which his prospects in next month's World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia would be in jeopardy.

The shotgun shooter will also miss the next World Cup in Germany beginning June six.

Rathore, with rating points 1817, is placed behind leader Hakan Dahlby of Sweden (2728) and Russia's Mosin Vasiliy (1934), who gained one place.

The Indian is followed by Binyuan Hu of China (1569), who maintained his fourth rank, and Vitaly Fokeev (1445) of Russia, who slipped from second place.

Trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, who also secured an Olympic berth in Cairo, catapulted to second place from his previous ninth rank, with 1457 points.

Another Indian ace Gagan Narang, who ruled the ranking charts after the first World Cup of the season in China, is now sitting pretty at the second position in the men's 10 m air rifle rankings. Abhinav Bindra is placed 24th.

A string of low finishes cost Samresh Jung 16 places as he slipped to 43rd in 50 m pistol event.