Former World Champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu showed that he is still the best in the country clinching the men’s trap gold for the umpteenth time, with a thrilling 42-41 victory over Vishavdev Singh Sidhu in the 63rd National shotgun championship at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Friday.
Six-time Asian champion, the 43-year-old Manavjit had to go through a shoot-off on 120 with six others for five spots in the final behind leader Kynan Chenai (121).
In the final, he laid a solid foundation by shooting 23 out of the first 25, which carried him through. Vishavdev did have the lead before the last 10 shots to decide the gold but missed a string of birds early, which meant Manavjit could not lose with the last three birds to go.
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Vishavdev shot all the last three and Manavjit one, which make it decisive.
“Becoming the National champion is very special, especially after the disappointment in the recent Asian Championship. The final could have gone either way, and that makes it more special. The past is mere history, and you are only as good as your last result,” said Manavjit.
He was particularly proud of the way he picked himself up after the disaster of 22 out of 25 in the second round, to shoot 74 out of 75 in the next three.
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Olympian Chenai, who had shot 75 out of the first 75 but was not in similar form thereafter, had to settle for the bronze.
Yuvraj Kumar Mahajan pipped Prithviraj Tondaiman to the fourth place, while Jungsher Virk finished sixth. Manavaditya Singh Rathore and Anant Shivan Pratap Singh lost the shoot-off to make the men’s final.
Manavaditya signed off from the junior circuit in style, winning the gold, with a 45-44 victory over Jungsher Virk. He had won the title six years back for the first time.
Vivaan Kapoor won the bronze ahead of Shardul Vihan, Vibhu Sharma and Vishwa Kundu.
The results: Trap: Men: 1. Manavjit Singh Sandhu 42 (120); 2. Vishavdev Singh Sidhu 41 (120); 3. Kynan Chenai 32 (121). Team: 1. Punjab 358; 2. Rajasthan 356; 3. Haryana 351.
Junior men: 1. Manavaditya Singh Rathore 45 (120); 2. Jungsher Virk 44 (120); 3. Vivaan Kapoor 35 (119). Team: 1. Rajasthan 351; 2. Haryana 345; 3. Madhya Pradesh 339.