Shoot to thrill: Sarabjot, Divya get gold on Day 2 of WC
Baku (Azerbaijan), May 11
India’s Divya TS and Sarabjot Singh emerged third time lucky as a pair, winning gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event of the ISSF World Cup here today.
On Day 2, the Indian pair, who had finished fifth in two earlier World Cup stages in Cairo and Bhopal respectively, broke through with a fine 581 to top the 55-team qualification and were assured of a medal and a spot in the gold medal match.
Up against Serbian legends Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic in the final, the Indians held their own to pull off a nervy 16-14 win and finish atop the podium.
It was a second World Cup gold for Sarabjot in back-to-back tournaments, having won the individual air pistol event in Bhopal in March, while for Divya it was a first senior medal at this level. Ismail Keles and Simal Yilmaz of Turkey won bronze.
In the qualification, Divya and Sarabjot were detailed in the second relay after India’s second pair — Esha Singh and Varun Tomar — had shot a combined 578 in the first, placing them third provisionally.
After Divya and Sarabjot’s relay, they finished fifth overall, missing out on a shot at bronze by a point. Three pairs finished on the same score of 581, but Divya and Sarabjot were classified top with 24 inner 10s on their card.
Damir and Zorana were second with 19 inner 10s, while the Turkish shooters were third with 16 inner 10s to their name.
China 1-2 in air rifle
China swept the 10m air rifle mixed team event. Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao defeated compatriots Wang Zhilin and Yang Haoran in what was the first 16-14 gold medal match scoreline of the day. Czech Republic won bronze as both the Indian pairs in the event could not make it to the medal rounds.
While Tilottama Sen and Hriday Hazarika shot a combined 627.6 for a 17th place finish, Ramita and Rudrankksh Patil were further down in the 28th after a 626.3.
