Indian shooters rise high at the ISSF World Championships

Members of India's silver medal-winning skeet team, Anantjeet Singh Naruka (left), Ayush Rudraraju and Gurnihal Singh Garcha (right)

India's junior shooters scaled another high by delivering the country's first set of skeet medals at the ISSF World Championships - a men's team silver and an individual bronze by Gurnihal Singh Garcha here yesterday. Before this edition of the world championships, India had won all its shotgun medals in the trap and double trap disciplines. This will be the first time that Indian skeet shooters will come back with medals from the premiere competition.

The trio of Gurnihal (119), Anantjeet Singh Naruka (117) and Ayush Rudraraju (119) combined for a score of 355 for a second-place finish in the finals. Gurnihal, 19, also made the individual final, where he shot a score of 46 to claim the individual bronze, the biggest achievement of his international career so far. Italian Elia Sdruccioli notched up the gold with a score of 55, while American Nic Moschetti won the silver with 54.

India's shooter Gurnihal Singh Garcha during the skeet final of the ISSF World Championships at Changwon International Shooting Range in Korea yesterday. Pics/ISSF

India are placed fourth in the overall medals' tally with seven gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals for a total of 22 at the premier International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) showpiece, which is also the first qualifying event for the 2020 Olympic Games. The gold medal in the team event was won by Czech Republic with a score 356, while the bronze went to the Italian team, which shot a score of 354, In the junior women's 50m rifle 3 position competition, the Indian team signed off 14th with a score of 3383. Bhakti Khamkar (1132), Shirin Godara (1130) and Ayushi Podder (1121) made up the team and neither of them managed to qualify for the individual finals. There was no end to the seniors' disappointment with the women's skeet team ending ninth with a score of 319. Rashmi Rathore (108), Maheshwari Chauhan (106) and Ganemat Sekhon (105) could not qualify for the individual finals.

India have secured two Olympic quotas, making it the country's best performance ever at the World Championship. Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela secured quota places for the Olympics by winning a silver and finishing fourth respectively in the women's 10m air rifle event. Though the two shooters have secured quotas, as per the stated policy, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) will take the final call on selection, based on the aggregate scores of shooters (in international tournaments and selection trials) leading up to the Olympic Games.

46
Shots scored by Gurnihal to claim the individual skeet bronze

22
No. of medals India have won in the competition (seven gold, eight silver and seven bronze)

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