The star Indian shooters Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra continued to keep a low profile in the run-up to the London Olympics while three-time Olympian Anjali Bhagwat missed the women's air rifle final by one point in the shooting World Cup in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday.
Gagan Narang, shot 595 in men's air rifle and finished 20th in a field of 93. He had a series of 99, 100, 99, 100, 98 and 99. He was a mute witness to the shoot-off between seven shooters who were tied on 596 and fought for one spot in the final.
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra tallied 592 after an indifferent start with an opening card of 97. He followed that with rounds of 99, 100, 98, 99 and 99 to be placed 42nd.
The third Indian shooter, Satyendra Singh was woefully off colour and reached 584 to end up 70, owing to a bad finish of 93 on the last card.
In the MQS section, Imran Hasan Khan shot 590.
Former Olympic champion Zhu Qinan of China and the reigning World Champion Niccolo Campriani of Italy topped the qualifiers with a score of 599.
In women's air rifle, in which Olympic champion Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic and Sonja Pfeilschifter of Germany equalled the world record with perfect 400, Anjali Bhagwat shot the best among the Indians with a total of 396 that ranked her 14th in a field of 99.
Anjali had a series of 100, 98, 98 and 100. Seven shooters were tied on 397 and had a shoot-off for the last three spots in the final.
The other Indian shooters, Mampi Das (395) and Ayonika Paul (394) were placed 24th and 47th respectively.
Apurvi Chandela did well in the MQS section with a score of 396, while Shriyanka Sadangi made 392.
