HEENA SIDHU CLINCHES GOLD AT COMMONWEALTH SHOOTING
BRISBANE: Heena Sidhu claimed the 10m air pistol gold, while Deepak Kumar fetched a silver in the 10m air rifle event to give India a fine start at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships on Tuesday. Sidhu shot a combined score of 626.2 (386+240.8) to claim the top honours.
This was Sidhu’s second successive international gold after she, along with Jitu Rai, claimed the top position in the 10m air pistol mixed team event in the World Cup Finals in Delhi earlier this month. Among other Indians in fray here, Deepak Kumar won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event. London Olympic bronzemedallist Gagan Narang finished fourth in the same event.
Sidhu was strong through the day, topping qualification with a high score of 386, her best in international competition since the 387 she shot at the Asian Championship in Delhi two years ago. In the final, Sidhu opened up a gap of over two points after the first five shot series itself over her nearest rival and led throughout, nailing the title with a perfect 10.9 in the 23rd and penultimate shot.
END OF LEE, LIN ERA, SAYS SRIKANTH
HYDERABAD: In the best form of his life after winning four Super Series titles in five months, star India shuttler Kidambi Srikanth said that the days of domination of Lin Dan or Lee Chong Wei are over and the tournaments are more wide open than ever.
Srikanth, who became the first Indian and only fourth in the world to win four Super Series titles in a calendar year, said not a few but many players, including him, are capable of winning top tournaments these days. “For a long time, I think Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan have dominated badminton. And now it has become more open. Me, Viktor and even other Indian players are winning tournaments. It has become more wide open and it’s always good for the sport when you have so many champions.”