India’s Sonam Uttam Maskar is a double silver medallist at the Cairo World Cup stage earlier this year. She bagged another silver medal. This time, she achieved it at home, at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range. It was competition day one of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun New Delhi 2024. It was the Kolhapur girl’s first medal at the World Cup Final level and also India’s first of the competition. China’s Paris Olympic gold medallist Huang Yuting won gold with a world and junior world record score of 254.5, leaving Sonam 1.6 behind. France’s Oceanne Muller won bronze. China dominated by winning three of the four finals on the day. France’s Paris silver medallist Camille Jedrzejewski secured the other win in the women’s 10m air pistol.
The ISSF Shooting World Cup Final is being telecast live on Eurosport India. It can also be live streamed on the Official YouTube Channel of ISSF. The event is available on the Sportscast YouTube channel as well.
Sonam gives India reason to cheer
A boisterous, lively and partisan Karni Singh crowd felt joy during the first of four finals of the day. Sonam Maskar put in a virtuoso performance in the women’s 10m air rifle. She first shot a solid 632.1 in qualification to finish fourth. Then she overcame a sluggish start in the finals. She mounted a brilliant comeback to seal a creditable silver behind the world-beating Chinese.
Two shots, one a 10.7 for her 19th followed by a perfect 10.9 for her 20th, both under pressure with a medal on the line, were ones that caught the eye.
Tilottama Sen (Q=628.9, 7th), the second Indian in the eight-woman final finished sixth on a score of 167.7.
The event in-fact saw a third world record, when Germany’s Anna Janssen, topped the qualification round with a scorching 636.9.
Camille halts China sweep
France’s Camille Jedrzejewski abruptly halted a golden sweep by China on day one. She capped off a brilliant year with a pillar to post victory in the women’s 10m air pistol final. Her 24-shot score of 240.8 was a huge 3.4 ahead of silver winning Liu Heng Yu of Chinese Taipei. Egypt’s Hala Elgohari won the biggest medal of her life. It was her first ISSF medal. She finished third with a score of 215.7.
India’s Rhythm Sangwan was fourth, losing out to Hala by 0.5 at the end of the 20th shot. Compatriot Surbhi Rao was fifth with 176.6.
The other two golds were won by two reigning Chinese Olympic champions. They participated in the men’s 10m air rifle and air pistol events respectively.
In the former, Sheng Lihao shot 251.4 to win from Hungary’s Istvan Peni by 0.1. It was the popular Hungarian’s seventh medal in India. Czechia’s Jiri Privratsky was third.
India’s Arjun Babuta led the field till the 16th shot. He missed out with below average shots for his 17th and 18th. He finished fifth. Divyansh Panwar was eighth.
In the latter Paris champion Xie Yu won gold with a score of 244.6 in the final. Germany’s Robin Walter was second while Italian Federico Maldini was third. The lone Indian in this final, Arjun Cheema, was first to bow out in eighth place.
Ganemat best Indian on show at the Shotgun ranges
At the Shotgun ranges, day one qualifications in all four events began. In the women’s skeet, Ganemat Sekhon was the best Indian on show. She shot a three-round score of 74 to stay behind leader Samantha Simonton (75) of the USA. Maheshwari Chauhan, was further back with 69.
In the men’s skeet, Maheshwari’s Paris Olympics mixed team partner Anantjeet Singh Naruka shot 73. He is in third position in the 10-man field. Senior pro Mairaj Khan was lying seventh with 71.
In men’s trap, Vivaan Kapoor shot a 73 to lie second behind Australian James Willet on countback. Bhowneesh Mendiratta was placed fourth with 72 hits after the first three rounds.
Finally, Shreyasi Singh shot 66 and Rajeshwari Kumari 58, to lie ninth and 11th respectively in the women’s trap competition. Italian Silvana Maria Stanco, Paris Olympics silver medallist, was leading the field with a perfect 75.
Four finals on day two
Competition day two also has four finals lined up with the men’s and women’s 50m rifle 3 positions scheduled. The women’s 25m pistol and men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol finals are also on the roster for day three.
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