CHANGWON: There was no stopping the golden run of India’s junior shooters with Hriday Hazarika claiming the 10m air rifle top honours before the women’s team combined for a new world record and gold at the ISSF World Championships here Friday.
Elavenil Valarivan also won the individual silver in women’s 10m air rifle, going down narrowly to China’s double senior World Cup gold-medallist Shi Mengyao, in the final. Elavenil shot 249.8 to Shi’s 250.5. Shreya Agrawal won the bronze with an effort of 228.4 in the final. This is the tournament’s 52nd edition. Four podium finishes on the sixth day of competition took India’s tally to 18, their best-ever showing in the International Shooting Sport Federation’s (ISSF) premier tournament. The country’s previous best was the six medals won during the 49th edition in Zagreb, Croatia. Hazarika, the lone Indian to qualify for the men’s final with a score of 627.3, was tied with Iran’s Mohammed Amir Nekounam on 250.1 once the field was pruned to the regulation top eight. But the 17-year-old Indian clinched the yellow metal after prevailing in a shoot-off at the prestigious tournament. (PTI)
