Jitu Rain did win as expected and there should be no belittling his great effort. But then, one’s heart simply was carried away by the young Mehuli Ghosh, who got so near to a second gold of the day for India at the shooting competitions of the XXI Commonwealth Games at the Belmont shooting centre, Brisbane, on Monday.
There is no denying the fact that Singapore’s Martina Lindsay Viloso was the best on any account among all the eight who took part in the women’s 10m air rifle final.
But then, Mehuli, who was fifth after qualification, came back in such style and was almost on the verge of getting to the top of the podium before losing out in a gut-wrenching shoot off.
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In the qualification, it was defending champion Apurvi Chandela who led the way toppling her own Games record of 415.6 while returning a card of 423.2 following a sequence of 105.7, 105.2, 106.1 and 1062. Mehuli had finished with 413.7 (104.3, 103.7, 102.2, 103.5).
And after the initial five shots of the first stage in the final, it was this young girl from Bengal who led with 51.8, Viloso second with 51.6 and Apurvi at 51.0.
But in the second round of the same stage, Viloso took over and was never troubled in any way until Apurvi caught up with her after the 20th shot. The two had 206.0 and Mehuli, who in between had gone to fifth place at one time, third with 205.0.
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However, Apurvi could come up with a none too satisfactory scores of 9.9 and 9.4 in her 21st and 22nd shots and thus was left to be satisfied with the bronze with a total of 225.3 points.
Mehuli, in comparison, had scores of 10.3 and 107 and this propelled her to the second spot, giving her the chance to go for the gold. Yet, there was this difference of 0.8 points to catch. The Singaporean shot 10.0 and 10.4 through the last round and it was thereby left for Mehuli to score a magical 10.9 on her last shot to catch up with Viloso.
Truly, for one who was making her Games debut, it was a hard ask. But the Indian did just that to force the issue into a shoot-off. Viloso responded with 10.3 but Mehuli could manage only 9.9 and thus was forced to settle for the silver. The totals of the two were 247.2.
Though all smiles, one could very well guess the sadness in Mehuli for having missed the gold so narrowly. “I just need to improve,” she said.
In the men’s 10m air pistol, it was Om Mitharwal who emerged as the top qualifier with a Games record equalling score of 584, after returning a card of 96, 96, 98, 99, 96, 99, through the six rounds.
Jitu was fourth with 570 (98, 92, 94, 96, 95, 95) at this stage, but took over in the final and led the field right through before collaring the gold with a total of 235.5 points — a new Games record.
Mithrawal trailed the defending champion in the 50m free pistol till the end of the 20th shot. But a poor 8.4 in the 21st shot, helped Australian Kerry Bell to slip through and push the Indian to the third spot (214.3). Bell finished with 233.5.
The men’s skeet final failed to provide India with a medal as Smit Singh, who was only lone to qualify, was inconsistent and the first to be eliminated with a score of 15 after 20 shots. Sheeraz Sheikh was placed 10th.
The results:
10m air pistol:Men: 1. Jitu Rai (Ind) 570, 235.5; 2. Kerry Bell (Aus) 564, 233.5; 3. Om Mithrawal (Ind) 584, 214.3; Skeet: 6. Smit Singh (Ind); 10. Sheeraz Sheikh (Ind).
Women: 1. Martina Lindsay Viloso (Sgp) 414.3, 247.2 (10.3); 2. Mehuli Ghosh (Ind) 413.7, 247.2 (9.9); 3. Apurvi Chandela (Ind) 423.3, 225.3.