Muskan gets gold, India end 2nd
Muskan Bhanwala, matched her brother Anish’s feat two days earlier and erased memories of missing out on a Junior World Championship medal last year, winning the Women’s 25m Pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun, which concluded on Wednesday. She beat a group of four Chinese shooters and compatriots Manu Bhaker and Arunima Gaur besides Bronze winning Thai Kanyakom Hirunphoem to emerge victorious with 35 hits out of 50. China’s Sihang Qin, won Silver, finishing one hit behind Muskan with 34.
Earlier, Muskan and Manu, who had to be satisfied with a fourth place finish in the individual event, combined with Devanshi Rana to ensure the Team Gold in the event was also bagged by India. They totaled 1715 after the qualification rounds to leave behind India’s second team comprising of Arunima Gaur, Mahima Turhi Agrawal and Tanu Rawal in Silver medal position with a com- bined score of 1705.
In the Men’s Skeet, Anant Jeet Singh Naruka, shot 121 in qualifying to enter the final round but ended fifth eventually with 24 hits in the first 30 shots. Anantjeet did however come away with a Silver medal in team section along with Ayush Rudraraju and Gurnihal Singh Garcha for a combined score of 348, which was behind Italy’s 357.
In the Women’s 25m Pistol, Arunima Gaur was the best placed Indian in qualifying with a score of 575.
India ended the ISSF Junior World Cup, second in the medal standings with nine gold, five silver and eight bronze medals for a total of 22 medals. China topped the standings with nine gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals for a total of 25 medals.
NEW DELHI: