ISSF World Cup: Indian shooters eye Rapid Fire Pistol finals

NEW DELHI: The Indian teenage brigade, competing at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup, continued to impress as 15-year old Anish Bhanwala stood third after the first qualifying round of the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol.

Anish, who recently equalled the world record in the event during the National trials, shot 294 out of 300 in the precision stage, to lie behind China’s Olympic bronze medalist Yuehong Li, who shot the same score to be in second place.

France’s Clement Bessaguet, World Cup Finals silver medalist, shot 295 to be on top of the qualifying ladder.

Lying fourth and fifth after the precision stage were Rio Olympian Christian Reitz of Germany (292) and Jean Quiquampoix of France (292).

Also in line for a final's berth was Anish’s senior teammate Neeraj Kumar, who shot 291 to take the sixth spot.

The top six in the event at the end of the two qualifying stages, the precision stage and the rapid-fire stage, make it to the medal round. The Rapid Fire stage and the finals are slated for Thursday.

Anish’s performance comes after an impressive show earlier in the competition by teenagers Manu Bhaker and Mehuli Ghosh in the Women’s Pistol and Rifle events, where they shared two gold and two bronze medals among themselves.

Meanwhile, in the only final scheduled on Wednesday, Day Five of the competition, the Finnish pair of Satu Makela-Nummela and Vesa Tornroos won the Trap Mixed Team Gold medal.

The only Indian pair competing at the event was of Kynan Chenai and Seema Tomar, who shot a combined 132 to finish 14th in the event.

Besides the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol final, Day Six also has the Women’s Rifle 3 Positions final scheduled where experienced Tejaswini Sawant, Anjum Moudgil and N. Gaayathri will carry Indian hopes.

India are in the midst of their best ever ISSF World Cup campaign, sitting on top of the medals tally with three Gold and four Bronze medals.