National Shooting Trials: Lagad Saurav Gorakh beats world champion Rudrankksh Patil

Lagad stayed on par with Rudrankksh both in the qualification and the semifinals, before stepping it up in the climax for a memorable finish

Anjum Moudgil, champion Sift Kaur Samra and Manini Kaushik, in rifle 3-position event of the National shooting trials in Delhi on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Lagad Saurav Gorakh beat the reigning World Champion Rudrankksh Patil 17-9 for the top spot in men’s air rifle in the National shooting selection trials at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Monday.

Quite remarkably, Lagad stayed on par with Rudrankksh both in the qualification and the semifinals, before stepping it up in the climax for a memorable finish.

Kiran Jadhav took the third place ahead of qualification topper Hriday Hazarika (631.0). Olympians Divyansh Singh Pnawar and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar placed fifth and sixth respectively, ahead of Vijay Singh and Shahu Tushar Mane.

In women’s 50-metre rifle 3-position event, Sift Kaur Samra beat Olympian Anjum Moudgil 17-5. Manini Kaushik who top scored with 590 in qualification, the best score in the domestic circuit behind 591 of Anjum in the President’s Cup, ended up third.

Coach Manoj Kumar pointed out that it was a commendable effort by Manini in tough conditions to shoot such a high score despite an ‘8’ each in the standing and kneeling stage.

Nischal, Ayushi Podder, Gaayathri NIthyanandam, Shreya Saksena and Surabhi Bharadwaj were the others to make the semifinals.

In the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event, Vijayveer Sidhu beat Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar 28-22 for the top spot. Bhavesh Shekhawat took the third place ahead of qualification topper Ankur Goel (581).

The results

10m air rifle:

Men: 1. Lagad Saurav Gorakh 17 (261.5) 629.7; 2. Rudrankksh Patil 9 (261.5) 629.7; 3. Kiran Jadhav 261.3 (629.6); 4. Hriday Hazarika 259.8 (631.0).

Junior men: 1. Parth Mane 17 (262.2) 627.4; 2. Sachin 9 (261.4) 628.5; 3. Sheersh Kashyap 260.5 (628.3); 4. Parikshit Brar 260.1 (627.3).

25m rapid fire pistol:

Men: 1. Vijayveer Sidhu 28 (12) 579; 2. Vijay Kumar 22 (15) 571; 3. Bhavesh Shekhawat 15 (11) 579; 4. Ankur Goel 11 (16) 581.

Junior men: 1. Sameer Gulia 30 (13) 567; 2. Mahesh Anandakumar 27 (13) 577; 3. Rajkanwar Sandhu 20 (14) 573; 4. Tanishq Naidu 5 (11) 568.

50m rifle 3-position:

Women: 1. Sift Kaur Samra 17 (410.4) 583; 2. Anjum Moudgil 5 (410.8) 585; 3. Manini Kaushik 407.1 (590); 4. Nischal 402.2 (585).

Junior women: 1. Nupur Kumrawat 16 (396.7) 571; 2. Nikita Kundu 12 (397.3) 583; 3. Mahit Sandhu 396.2 (568); 4. Khushi 392.1 (566).