Anjum Moudgil, with a last-gasp effort, retained the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions crown — the first individual gold to be decided at the 62nd National shooting championships at the Vattiyoorkavu shooting range here on Sunday.
The 24-year-old was involved in a battle for supremacy with Tejaswini Sawant before prevailing in the 45th and final shot.
In April this year, Tejaswini had pipped Anjum to take the top spot at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The 28-year-old shooter from Kolhapur led the field going into the final, enjoying a three-point lead over the Punjab shooter. However, she failed to sustain the momentum.
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Despite that, Tejaswini went into the final shot with an advantage of 0.4 points but managed just 9.5 while Anjum came up with a superb shot of 10.6. Anjum finished with 458.6 points and Tejaswini 457.7. Sunidhi Chauhan (MP) was third with 443.0.
‘Badly needed this’
About the close final, a beaming Anjum said: “Tejaswini really shot well through all the rounds but I was not going to give up as I badly needed this gold medal.”
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The results:
Women: 50m rifle 3 positions: 1. Anjum Moudgil (Pun) 1168 (458.6), 2. Tejaswini Sawant (Mah) 1163 (457.5), 3. Sunidhi Chauhan (MP) 1155 (443.0).
Team: 1. Haryana (3454 points), 2. Gujarat (3447), 3. Maharashtra (3426).