Rathore clinches the double trap gold

December 26, 2012 03:50 am | Updated 08:46 am IST - NEW DELHI:

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore produced a good sequence of shots to win the double trap gold on Tuesday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore produced a good sequence of shots to win the double trap gold on Tuesday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Athens Games silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore shot 190 and won the double trap gold, with a three-point margin over Mohd. Asab, in the Sahara National shooting championship here on Tuesday.

Asian Games champion Ronjan Sodhi had to settle for the bronze despite shooting the best in the final, with a round of 48, as Asab capitalised on his three-point lead.

Not excited

Though Rathore was at his best, shooting rounds of 47, 49 and 48 in the qualification and 46 in the final, he said that he was not excited any more about winning the national title.

“What am I doing here,” that was the thought that crossed his mind during the final, Rathore said, as he hinted about calling it quits and backing the younger lot.

“I started very late, and whatever I have done, has been in the second half. I have tremendous experience and can walk into a competition. I competed in the Asian championship recently after having had a surgery in my leg on November 17. I had little practice here as I was standing behind my son, and guiding him in trap. Of course, I am very happy to win,” said Rathore, a Colonel in the army, who had won the bronze medal in the Asian shotgun championship in Patiala earlier this month.

“I think I will derive more satisfaction by doing things for others. Preparing for the Olympics takes a lot out of you. Eventually, I look at it as another medal,” said Rathore.

Rathore shot a world record 148 out of 150 in the Asian shotgun championship in Kuala Lumpur last year and he said that he was disappointed not to have made it to the London Olympics.

The 42-year-old who had won the World championship bronze in 2003 and had won the Asian championship gold five times, apart from the Asian Games bronze and Commonwealth Games gold medals, said that he had not talked to his family and friends about his plans. “I am not going to say that this is my last competition,” said Rathore, as he clearly suggested that he had some plans for the future.

“Chilly shot very well, and there was not much motivation for me,” said Ronjan Sodhi as he praised Rathore.

He was already thinking about getting on with the new rules, but said that it was a good idea to shoot the selection trials with the old rules in the first fortnight of January and start training with the new rules for the first World Cup scheduled in March.

Ronjan had shot 48 and 45 on Monday, and followed that with another round of 45 in the morning, before performing better in the final.

Having won two gold medals and a silver in the season-ending World Cup Finals in the last three editions, Ronjan said that he was not too worried about the national title being elusive.

Deepali in lead

Meanwhile, Olympian Deepali Deshpande led with a total of 590 in women’s 50-metre rifle prone event. She had a series of 97, 98, 99, 98, 98 and 100.

World junior bronze medallist Rajkumari Rahtore (589), Lajja Guswami (588), World champion Tejaswini Sawant (587) and Kuheli Gangulee (587), Meena Kumari (580) had also finished their rounds.

In men’s air pistol, in which competition is scheduled for four days, Amanpreet Singh led with a score of 580.

The results:

Men: Double trap: 1. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore 190 (144); 2. Mohd. Asab 187 (141); 3. Ronjan Sodhi 186 (138).

Juniors: 1.Shayan Masood 138; 2. Ankur Mittal 134; 3. Asher Noria 131.

Women: Double trap: 1. Shreyasi Singh 88; 2. Seema Tomar 83 (5); 3. Varsha Tomar 83 (4).

Juniors: 1. Malika Wig 60; 2. Sohini Maity 52; 3. N. Nivetha 46.

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