The Hindu : Rathore traps gold

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 02, 2002

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Rathore traps gold

By Kamesh Srinivasan

India's Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's Double Trap singles shooting competition in the Commonwealth Games in Bisley on Thursday. — Reuters

BISLEY AUG. 1. He had to get both the birds, and he was the last man at the last station. Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore controlled the pounding heart to nail the birds, and announced his double trap gold by punching the air in sheer joy, at the scenic clay range here on a sunny afternoon.

On a scale of 10, this was a perfect 10 for the Indian team in the 17th Commonwealth Games. The National champion, Rathore shot a career-best 191 out of 200 to beat the Olympic silver medallist and former World champion Russell Mark of Australia by one point.

Going into the final at 142, a one-point lead over Mark and the 17-year-old sensation William Chetucuti of Malta, the 32-year-old Rathore shot a 49, the same as the Aussie, to take the gold with both hands.

With Chetcuti having missed the fourth and 30th birds, there was no threat from the Malta lad, but Mark was literally breathing down the neck. Rathore missed the 42nd bird that went straight up, and there was a hiss in the Indian camp. It converted into a sigh of relief when Mark missed the 48th, giving back the lead to Rathore, who accepted the gold gleefully.

Moraad Ali Khan also did well to make the final with a 137, and shot a 44 to take the sixth spot.

Coming after their team gold, this was an absolutely brilliant performance by the double trap marksmen, who had been denied clearance by the Indian government initially. Well, that is old news now.

For Rathore, it was an incredible effort, following his 136 in the World Championship in Lahti recently, when he had failed to make the final by one point. Moving on to the indoor arena, it was a familiar fight between two India women.

Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat held her nerves a lot better than Suma Shirur to assert her undisputed class in winning the air rifle gold with a 0.8 margin, as she posted new meet records of 398 and 500.8 on the board at the Lord Roberts' Hall.

The two ladies had virtually ensured the gold and silver for India at the preliminary phase with rounds of 398 and 397 respectively, the same as what they had done in the team event earlier in the competition.

Anjali was in line for the world record when she put three 100s on the board, but came up with a 9.8 with her 32nd shot and finished with a 9.7 last shot.

The 32-year-old CISF inspector from Mumbai, Anjali had rounds of 10.8, 10.2, 10.6, 9.9, 10.5, 10.3, 10.3, 10.0, 10.0 and 10.2 and retained her lead throughout. The margin reduced to 0.4 before the last shot, but Anjali was too good to be beaten at the post this day. It was the third gold for Anjali, and she will be going for the fourth on the morrow, in the sport rifle 3-position event.

In comparison, the 28-year-old Suma started with rounds of 99 and 98, but she finished in style with two 100s. In fact, only these two Indians could compile scores of 100 this day in a field of 23.

However, three 9s, made the difference. Suma had rounds of 9.9, 10.6, 10.8, 10.6, 9.8, 10.4, 10.3, 10.5, 10.3 and the 9.8 last shot, when she needed a 10.6 to have a tilt at the gold.

In the free pistol event, Samaresh Jung had a shy at the gold medal, but could not capture it from the grasp of the Englishman Michael Gault, who went on to capture his eighth gold medal in the Commonwealth Games.

Going into the final one point behind the Englishman with a 558, Samaresh erred with his fifth and ninth shots when he came up with 7.2 and 7.9 respectively. The results:

Men's free pistol: 1. Michael Gault (Eng) 657.5 (559); 2. Samaresh Jung 652.8 (558); 3. Daniel Francois van Tonder (RSA) 644.3 (547); 13. Vivek Singh 529.

Men's double trap: 1. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (48, 48, 46; 49) 191; 2. Mark Russell (Aus) (47, 46, 48; 49) 190; 3. William Chetcuti (Mlt) (46, 47, 48; 48) 189; 6. Moraad Ali Khan (47, 46, 44; 44) 181.

Women's air rifle: 1. Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat 500.8 (398); 2. Suma Shirur 500.0 (397); 3. Louise Minett (Eng) 494.8 (393).

Women's air pistol: 1. Lalita Yauhleuskaya (Aus) 479.4 (384); 2. Dorothy Hare (Can) 477.5 (379); 3. Annemarie Forder (Aus) 476.3 (380); 6. Shweta Chaudhary 467.1 (375); 13. Shelika Kanungo 363

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