Asian Games 2018: 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary claims gold on debut

The 16-year-old Chaudhary, who topped the qualifying round, shot a Games record score of 240.7 to pip Japan's Tomoyuki Matsuda

Press Trust of India  |  Palembang 

Abhishek Verma (left) and Saurabh Chaudhary (right) won bronze adn gold medals respectively for India in 10m Rifle at the Asian Games 2018. Photo: Twitter
Abhishek Verma (left) and Saurabh Chaudhary (right) won bronze adn gold medals respectively for India in 10m Rifle at the Asian Games 2018. Photo: Twitter

Debutant teenager clinched India's first gold of the 18th Asian Games, fetching the top honours in the men's here today.

The 16-year-old Chaudhary, who topped the qualifying round, shot a Games record score of 240.7 to pip Japan's (239.7) in an exciting final to add a gold to India's tally of two silver and a bronze this Asiad.

Hobby shooter Abhishek Verma, also making his debut at 29, settled for the bronze medal in the same event with a score of 219.3.

In second position for most of the final, Chaudhary grabbed the lead after Matsuda fired 8.9 in his penultimate shot. The Indian went ahead with a 10.2 off his second-last shot and held the nerve to stay ahead.

First Published: Tue, August 21 2018. 11:22 IST