Meghana wins maiden World Cup medal, India finish fifth

Ningbo (China), Sep 14 (PTI) India’s Meghana Sajjanar clinched her first-ever World Cup medal, a bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle, as the country finished fifth in the season-ending ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol.

In her first World Cup final in eight years, Meghana shot 230.0 to secure bronze behind Norwegian Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who won silver. The event was dominated by China’s rising star Peng Xinlu, who shattered the world record with a score of 255.3, bettering compatriot Wang Zifei’s 254.8.

On Saturday, Esha Singh gave India their first gold medal of the event in the women’s 10m air pistol.

China topped the tally with three golds, while Norway came away second with two golds in their kitty, of the 10 available.

Early on Sunday morning, Meghana shot a solid 632.7 in the second qualification rally to claim the seventh spot, while Peng topped with a superlative 637.4.

The Chinese began the 24-shot final with a perfect 10.9 as Meghana lay at the bottom of the eight-woman field after the first series of five single shots.

A strong second series of 52.3 moved her up to sixth and over the next 10 single shots, the experienced Indian shot nothing less than 10.2, including a crucial 10.9 for her 12th, to ensure her first ever medal at this level.

With individual neutral athlete Mariia Vasileva just 0.3 behind ahead of the 19th shot, Meghana still had a bit of work to do but two 10.4s, put paid to any hopes Mariia would have harbored.

India also reached a second final on the day, their fourth overall in Ningbo, as Kiran Ankush Jadhav shot 590 in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions qualification round, to claim the fourth spot.

A horror start both in the first Kneeling position and then in the second Prone position, however, meant that he ended the final in eighth spot with a score of 406.7 at the end of 40 shots.

Other Indian scores on the day ================== Among other Indian contenders on the day, Paris bronze medalist Swapnil Kusale, shot a steady 587 to finish 21st overall and 19th among medal contenders. Babu Singh Panwar was further back with a score of 583.

In the women’s air rifle, Olympian Ramita Jindal shot 629.8 to finish 22nd overall and 16th among contenders, while Kashika Pradhan shot 626.6. PTI ATK BS BS