Bhowneesh Mendiratta missed a medal in men’s trap but clinched an Olympic quota for Paris 2024 Games with a fourth place finish in the shotgun World Championship in Osijek, Croatia, on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old from Faridabad, Bhowneesh qualified for the final in fourth place with a score of 121 out of 125, following rounds of 25, 23, 24, 24 and 25. In the semifinals, he topped with a 24, but in the medal round he was first to crash out with a score of 13, pipped by one point by the rest.
With the top four in each event getting the Olympic quota, Bhowneesh fetched the first Olympic quota in shooting for India for Paris.
Bhowneesh had been part of the Indian team that won the silver medal in the World Cup in Korea this season.
Prithviraj Tondaiman shot 119 and missed the final by one point. Of course, there were nine shooters who did not make it to the final after shooting 120, as only two others could get in following a long shoot-off.
The third Indian in the fray, Vivaan Kapoor was off colour and finished 119th with a score of 107.
In women’s trap, Neeru shot 111, following rounds of 20, 24, 22, 22 and 23 to place 29th. Shreyasi Singh (110) and Manisha Keer (102) finished 35th and 61st respectively.
The results: Men’s trap: 1. Derrick Scott Mein (USA) 33 (22)5 (122); 2. Nathan Hales (GBR) 31 (22) 121; 3. Kun-Pi Yang (Tpe) 23 (20)1 (123); 4. Bhowneesh Mendiratta 13 (24) 121; 22. Prithviraj Tondaiman 119; 119. Vivaan Kapoor 107.
