India eves pistol shooters make it five in five

New Delhi, May 17: India’s women pistol shooters have made it five gold out of five after the trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan trounced hosts Germany 16-2 in the 25m pistol team final at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl on Tuesday.
India also picked up silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions mixed team competition when Pankaj Mukheja and Sift Kaur Samra lost 12-16 to Poland’s Michal Chojnowski and Julia Piotrowska in the gold medal match.
India’s medal tally has now swollen to 11 gold, 13 silver and four bronze medals. With India set to emerge champions, Italy, second with four golds and with shotgun events still left on the roster, will look to reduce the gap.
The Indian women’s pistol team reached the gold medal round, finishing second to the German trio of Michaela Boesel, Vanessa Seeger and Mia Fuchs in the second qualification stage.
The Indians shot 431 to the Germans’ 437 out of a maximum possible 450. In the final though, India did not give the hosts a whiff of a chance and finished the match clinically.
Pankaj and Sift made it to the gold medal round in the 3P mixed team event but the Polish pair finished stronger to win the second gold in the competition. (PTI)