Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat wins Gold medal in women's 25m pistol
Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat wins Gold medal in women's 25m pistol. The 27-year-old from Kolhapur defeated Thailand's Naphaswan Yangpaiboon in the shoot-off to clinch the top spot. Sarnobat also set a new Games record after finishing the final round at a score of 34.
Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat created history on Wednesday. She becomes the first Indian woman shooter to win Asian Games gold. On her way to historic gold in 25 m Pistol event, she also got better of teenaged Indian shooting prodigy, Manu Bhaker.
Rahi Jeevan, who was placed eighth at the end of qualifying Precision and Rapid Fire events with an aggregate of 580 against the leader, Manu Bhaker’s new record qualification aggregate of 593, put her experience to use in the final shoot.
In the final, each shooter had five rounds of five shots each after which elimination round started. Manu Bhaker scored 16 out of 30 and was the third of eight to be eliminated. At that stage, Rahi was the leader with an aggregate of 25. Yangpaiboon was close second with 24.
In the final shoot tout for medals, Rahi held her nerve and maintained lead over her Thai rival. Bronze medal went to Korean shooter. Kim Mingjung.
Since the new rules do not take the qualification aggregate in consideration for deciding the final standing, Manu Bhaker bowed out to finish sixth while Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat with her nerves of steel overcame tough opposition from her Thai opponent. The gold medal went to shoot out as the two were tied at 34-each. After first shoot out failed to resolve the deadlock, it went to the second where Rahi held her nerve to win.
It was India’s second gold in shooting. Yesterday, 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary had given India its first gold in 10 m Air Pistol.
With her gold, India has taken its shooting tally to two golds, two silvers and three bronze medals. -PTC News
