New Delhi: Anish Bhanwala could not make up for Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu’s failure to reach the women’s 10m air pistol final, finishing fifth in his event on a lacklustre day for India in the ISSF World Cup here Tuesday.
Anish, who was placed fifth in the qualification too, shot a total of 14 to finish outside the podium in the six-man final of the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol competition. The event started 20 minutes late due to a technical snag in one of the targets.
The International Shooting Federation (ISSF) has offered to reimburse all the expenses of the winner and runners-up in this event since its Olympic quota status was withdrawn after Pakistani shooters were denied visa in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. Gaayathri Nityanadam and Sunidhi Chauhan also failed to qualify for the final in the 50m rifle 3 positions at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
Hoping to make up for her meltdown in the 25m pistol final, the 17-year-old Bhaker was in for more disappointment, finishing a lowly 14th with 573 in the qualifications. The more experienced Heena Sidhu suffered a similar fate and was placed 25th with 571.
Shooting in her maiden World Cup, Anuradha, employed with the Indian Navy, was 22nd with 571. Hungary’s Veronika Major (245.1) won the gold medal in women’s 10am air pistol ahead of Taipei’s Chia Ying Wu (238.4) and Korean Bomi Kim (218.3). In the day’s other event, the women’s 50m rifle positions, India’s Nityanadam was 36th with 1163, while Chauhan was 49th with 1156.
Nina Christen, from Switzerland, won the 50m rifle 3 positions event with a score of 457.1 points, beating silver medallist Shi Mengyao of China, and Kazakhstan’s bronze winner Yelizaveta Korol. (PTI)
