Manpat pips Bindra for gold

Rakesh Manpat capitalised on a sound start and was at his best in the climax as he clinched the men’s 10m air rifle gold.

Rakesh Manpat pipped former World and Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra by 0.3 point for the gold in the third air rifle match of the 39th Intershoot international shooting competition at The Hague on Saturday.

It was an impressive fare from the former national champion in 50-metre rifle prone event as the 24-year-old Manpat pounced on the chance in the climax with shots of 10.3 and 10.4 after having seen Bindra lead right till the last two shots. Both the shooters delivered 10.4 on the last shot and Bindra’s 9.8 penultimate shot proved the difference.

Manpat capitalised on a sound start when he led after six shots with a score of 63.2. He did grapple with two 9s afterwards but stayed in the hunt for the top honour as he comfortably sailed past London Olympics champion Alin George Moldoveanu of Romania.

Interestingly, Bindra had won the gold in the first two matches and that included a win over Manpat by 1.2 points in the first match.

Another silver for Sadangi

In women’s section, Shriyanka Sadangi won her second successive silver while Pratik Borse won the same in the junior men’s section.

World Cup Final silver medallist Apurvi Chandela won a bronze in the second match in the women’s section before packing her bags to fly to Guwahati for the SAF Games.

The results: 10m air rifle: Men: 1. Rakesh Manpat 207.7 (619.8); 2. Abhinav Bindra 207.4 (623.1); 3. Alin George Moldoveanu (Rom) 184.8 (621.5); 11. Prithviraj Mane 614.6; 17. Amit Raut 608.5. Juniors: 1. Benjamin Karlsen (Nor) 207.1 (611.2); 2. Pratik Borse 205.2 (619.3); 3. Dean Bale (GBR) 183.2 (616.5).

Women: Match-3: 1. Malin Weserheim (Nor) 210.4 (416.3); 2. Shriyanka Sadangi 205.9 (415.5); 3. Stephanie Vercrusse (Bel) 185.8 (415.7).

Match-2: 1. Shimaa Hashad (Egy) 206.4 (415.2); 2. Shriyanka Sadangi 206.1 (414.2); 3. Apurvi Chandela 185.7 (420.0).

Juniors: Match-3: 1. Zumaya Goretti (Mex) 206.9 (414.8); 2. Jemma Toms (GBR) 202.9 (413.2); 3. Jenny Stene (Nor) 182.7 (409.2); 7. Dilreen Gill 100.0 (413.1).

Match-2: 1. Zumaya Goretti (Mex) 205.3 (418.6); 2. Malin Stafas (Swe) 202.6 (411.0); 3. Hannelore Veraart (Bel) 183.6 (408.8); 6. Dilreen Gill 120.8 (413.4); 16. Aditi Singh 404.0.