New Delhi: World champion Samrat Rana was unable to replicate his strong preliminary-round performance in the men’s 10m air pistol final at the Asian Championship, settling for the bronze medal on the opening day of competition here on Wednesday.
Samrat, who was the standout performer at last year’s World Championships in Cairo — where the Karnal shooter showed nerves of steel to win gold — raised hopes of another top-podium finish in the season opener.
He seemed set to carry his form into the new season after shooting 581 in the qualification round, which placed him second going into the final.
Sharvan, Samrat, and Varun Tomar, however, collectively got the Indian men’s team a silver medal with an aggregate score of 1732. Uzbekistan, comprising Svechnikov, Muhammad Kamalov, and Ilkhombek Obijonov, finished with an identical score but took home the gold medal by virtue of having hit six more inner-10s than the host. Kazakhstan won bronze.
on in 10m air pistol, finished with a score of 220.3 at the Asian Championship. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Samrat Rana, the current 10m air pistol world champion, won the bronze medal at the ongoing Asian Championship for rifle and pistol events at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old marksman finished with a score of 220.3 to finish behind Uzbekistan’s Vladimir Svechnikov (242.0) and Valeriy Rakhimzhan (241.0) of Kazakhstan. Sharvan Kumar, the other Indian in the final, finished just outside the medals, with 198.6.
Sharvan, Samrat, and Varun Tomar, however, collectively got the Indian men’s team a silver medal with an aggregate score of 1732. Uzbekistan, comprising Svechnikov, Muhammad Kamalov, and Ilkhombek Obijonov, finished with an identical score but took home the gold medal by virtue of having hit six more inner-10s than the host. Kazakhstan won bronze.
In the individual qualification round, Subhash Sihag’s 585 was the best Indian score, but he wasn’t one of the finalists because the shooter was competing for RPO (Ranking Points Only). Samrat, fourth, had scored 581, while Sharvan, eighth, had accumulated 578. Varun, 15th, registered 573.
The women’s qualification saw a similar situation unfold with Sainyam’s 584 at the pole position. However, being an RPO athlete, she had to see the trio of Suruchi Singh (576, fourth), Manu Bhaker (575-20x, fifth), and Esha Singh (575-18x, sixth) qualify. Their combined tally of 1726 handed India the team gold.
