The ISSF Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun World Cup in New Delhi (IND) kicked-off today with the first medals being assigned at the 10m Air Rifle Women Final. The People’s Republic of China shined with three athletes in the match and two medals. Home hero Pooja Ghatkar finished on the podium claiming bronze.
Shi Mengyao of the People’s Republic of China, 19, secured the first ISSF gold medal of the season by winning today’s 10m Air Rifle Women final at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, India.
After winning a silver at last year’s ISSF World Cup in Baku, the young shooter finished in the spotlights again today, scoring 252.1 points and setting a new Wolrd Record as well as a Junior World Record. With the introduction of the new 2017 ISSF Technical Rules, the 10m Air Rifle finals consist now in 24 shots, and therefore all the records were re-set at the beginning of the season.
Shi was joined on the podium by her teammate Dong Lijie, 25, who placed in second with 248.9 points, seven years after her last world cup participation in Belgrade 2010.
India’s flag bearer Pooja Ghatkar, 28, won the applauses of the spectators crowding New Delhi’s final hall by claiming bronze with 228.8 points. The Indian student had never won an ISSF medal before, her best placement in career being a 4th place in Baku, last year.
“It feels great to win a medal in my home country,” Ghatkar said. “Off-course I aimed for a better medal, but I hope this is just a starting point for better results in the future.”
“I had some difficulties with the blinder during the final, after the 15th shot,” she added. Ghatkar had indeed been leading right to the 14th shot. Then, scoring 9.9 on her 15th shot, she slid down in the placements, finishing behind the two Chinese teammates. “There was some pressure there, but I was able to manage it. I have to thank my coach, Gagan Narang, who helped me a lot, both technically and psychologically, in the lead up to this competition.”
Narang, the London 2012 air rifle Olympic Bronze medallist, has been coaching Ghatkar for the last two months. “I run a shooting academy but at the same time I am still competing,” Narang said today. “She’s the only athlete I am coaching at this level, and I am really happy about her progresses.”
Ghatkar fought neck and neck against China’s third finalist Wu Mingyang, 20, debuting in the ISSF World Cup circuit today. The two athletes shot almost tied right to the 20th shot, when Wu slid 0.8 points behind Ghatkar, taking 4th place with 207.0 points.
The 2014 Asian Champion Najmeh Khedmati of Iran, 20, placed in 5th today, being eliminated after shot 18th with 185,7 points. Two shots earlier, it was the winner of the 2016 ISSF World Cup in Bangkok Germany’s Jolyn Beer, 22, who finished in 6th place, with 164.9 points.
34-year old Snjezana Pejcic of Croatia was the first to be eliminated after shot 12, taking 8th place with 121.8 points. She was followed by today’s youngest finalist, Lin Ying-Shin of Chinese Taipei, 17, who placed 7th with 143.2 points her debut in ISSF World Cup Series.
The 2017 ISSF Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun World Cup will continue today with the 10m Air Rifle Men final at 13.00 (UTC+5.30). The Trap Women final will close the first competition day at 15.30.