Ganemat Sekhon let the gold slip, but it was a memorable day for India in women’s skeet as Darshna Rathore also joined the podium in the shotgun World Cup in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old Ganemat was in control of the final, with a five-point lead, but missed five of the last 10 birds against the eventual gold medallist Assem Orynbay of Kazakhstan. Tied on 50, Ganemat was beaten to the gold 2-1 by the Kazakh who had qualified on top with 121.
The 21-year-old Darshna had qualified with the second-best score of 120, a national record equalling effort, and ended up with the bronze, climbing above shooters from Cyprus, Czech Republic and Greece.
It was the second individual medal in a World Cup for Ganemat, following her bronze in Delhi. For Darshna, it was her maiden individual medal in the international circuit.
National champion Maheshwari Chauhan shot 108 and placed 26th in a field of 35.
In men’s skeet, Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Gurjoat Khangura shot 119 each and placed 17th and 19th in a field of 75. Anantjeet Singh Naruka (118) placed 23rd.
It was a tough field, and 122 made the cut for the final. Efthimios Mitas of Greece beat two-time World Champion Georgios Achilleos of Cyprus 2-1 in the shoot-off for the gold, after both tied on 56 in the final.
With a silver and bronze, India was third in the medals’ table behind Greece and Kazakhstan.
The results: Skeet: Men: 1. Efthimios Mitas (Gre) 56(2) 122; 2. Georgios Achilleos (Cyp) 56(1) 123; 3. Giancarlo Tazza (Ita) 47 (122); 17. Mairaj Ahmad Kkhan 119; 19. Gurjoat Khangura 119; 23. Anantjeet Singh Naruka 118.
Women: 1. Assem Orynbay (Kaz) 50(2) 121; 2. Ganemat Sekhon 50 (1) 117; 3. Darshna Rathore 39 (120 ENR); 26. Maheshwari Chauhan 108. RPO: Karttiki Singh Shaktawat 103.
