Matsuda sets world mark, Jitu Rai fails to enter final
India’s poster boy in shooting — Jitu Rai, failed to qualify for the final of the men’s 10m air pistol event of the World Cup Final here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges on Thursday. After winning gold in the 10m mixed team event on the opening day of the global competition, the Army shooter had lined up for another medal round. However, he wasn’t impressive in the qualification, scoring 572 to finish ninth among 10 shooters.
Rai took his time to settle down, scoring 94 in the opening 10-shot series. He improved his scores in the following three 10-shot series---96, 96 and 97. However, he erred in the last two series, shooting 95 and 94 to bow out of the competition.
Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsuda, the eventual champion who set a world record, too struggled, but managed to shoot 573 and was the eighth shooter to make the cut. Matsuda then outclassed seven others to win the title. “I wasn’t able to adjust in the qualification round. But there was a break before the final which helped me regroup myself. I was feeling refreshed and ready to go,” Matsuda told Hindustan Time.
In fact, he was on the verge of elimination in the final at one point in time --- from second in the initial stages, he slipped to fifth.
RAI ERRED IN THE LAST TWO SERIES, SHOOTING 95 AND 94 TO BOW OUT OF THE COMPETITION
The Ukraine duo of Oleh Omelchuk and Pavlo Korostylov challenged him seriously. Omelchuk settled for bronze with 218.8 Korostylov and Matsuda were neck and neck till the penultimate shot. On the last shot, however, the Japanese sealed the title with a new world record score of 241.8.
NARROW MISS
There was disappointment for India in the qualification round of the women’s 10m air rifle event too as Pooja Ghatkar narrowly missed the final. She shot 412.1 to finish ninth among the 10 shooters. Malin Westerhein of Norway qualified at eighth position with 412.5. Today’s score was her lowest this season. In the World Cup in February, she had shot 418 in the qualification round.
The l winner Andrea Arsovic of Serbia shot 251.3 to win title, while Coman Laura of Romania scored 249.7 for second place. Chinese shooter Xinyi Peng got third place with a score of 228.5.
FILLIPPELLI WINS
At the shotgun range there was an exciting contest between Riccardo Fillippelli and Ben Llewellin for the title in men’s skeet event. Duo were tied 59 at the end of 60 shots final, and in the shoot off Fillippelli edged past his rival 4-3 to win gold.