16-year-old Manu Bhaker showed her calm when she overcame a 1.4 deficit on the lost shot to win the Women’s 10m Air Pistol gold in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup stage in Mexico on Sunday.
16-year-old Manu Bhaker showed her calm when she overcame a 1.4 deficit on the lost shot to win the Women’s 10m Air Pistol gold in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup stage in Mexico on Sunday.
She overcame home favourite Alejandra Zavala, a two-time World Cup Finals winner.
Making her absolute debut in an ISSF competition, Bhaker confronted herself with a pack of experienced and multi-decorated shooters, eventually taking gold with an incredible comeback in her final two shots.
Despite sitting on a 1.9-point advantage, in fact, Vazquez fired twice inside the 8th ring, while Bhaker first reduced the gap with an 8.5, and then secured the brightest medal with a fantastic 10.6.
Thanks to Bhaker’s gold, India's medal tally now counts two golds — both won in the Air Pistol individual events — and three bronzes.
Manu Bhaker competing (ISSF.org)
The third step of the podium was taken by France’s 31-athlete Celine Goberville, winner of the ISSF crystal globe at last year’s World Cup Final in New Delhi (IND). The French 31-year-old shooter finished with 217.0 points, claiming her fourth World Cup medal in the Air Pistol event.
Despite finishing just outside of the medal position, Bhaker’s teammate Yashaswini Singh Deswal (20) signed the best World Cup placement of her career, scoring 196.1 points and finishing 4th in her first final appearance.
Deswal was followed by Anna Korakaki of Greece — bearer of the highest qualification score, and bronze medalist in this event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games — who scored 177.0 points and concluded in 5th place.
Two German first-time final participants followed the Greek shooter in 6th and 7th place: 33-year-old Sandra Reitz — the wife of Germany’s multi-decorated Pistol shooter Christian Reitz — took 6th position with 155.8 points, while 30-year-old Julia Hochmuth placed 7th with 129.2.
Switzerland’s experienced shooter Heidi Diethelm Gerber placed at the bottom of the table, taking 8th place with 110.4 points.
Medal standings after 4 out of 15 events
| Rank |
Nation |
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
Total |
| 1 |
IND
|
2 |
|
3 |
5 |
| 2 |
HUN
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| 2 |
ROU
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
| 4 |
AUT
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| 4 |
CHN
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| 4 |
GER
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| 4 |
MEX
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| 8 |
FRA
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
| |
|
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Sunday hailed Indian shooters and said that their performance in the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Mexico has been thrilling so far.
India has clinched four medals - two gold and three bronze, as well as set a new record by the end of the first day of the event.
Competing at the event, young shooter Shahzar Rizvi shot a world record and bagged gold with 242.3 in the 10m air pistol event’s final to beat reigning Olympic champion Christian Reitz of Germany.
Commenting on India's first day performance, NRAI president, Raninder Singh said, "I am thrilled that our faith in youngsters is giving results."
"This was a stupendous performance particularly from Shahzar as not only did he win gold in his first senior World Cup, but did so with a world record score."
Meanwhile, Mehuli, also shot a world junior record with the score of 228.4 to win bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle event.
"Mehuli also needs to be equally nodded as she is still a junior and to come up with a junior world record and a medal on debut at a Senior World Cup is no mean feat," Raninder said.
He added, "I wish the rest of the squad all the very best as well. We have key international events lined up throughout the year and a performance like this by youngsters of the squad bodes well."
Veteran Jitu Rai won a bronze in men's 10m air pistol as he shot 219 to finish after Germany's Reitz.
India's Om Prakash Mitharval finished fourth with a score of 198.4.
The Day Two of the event on Sunday also has two finals lined up with the men's 10m air rifle and women's 10m air pistol.
With inputs from ANI
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