Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) India’s Sanjeev Rajput won the silver in the men’s air rifle on the first day of the shooting World Cup in Sydney.
It was the 29-year-old shooter’s first podium finish in a World Cup.

Rajput shot 98, 100, 100, 100, 99 and 97 in the qualification round to make it to the final where he was joined by teammates Gagan Narang and P.T Raghunath, who also registered a score of 594, according to information received here.

Rajput won the second place by shooting the day’s highest final score of 103.9 points which included a perfect 10.9 on the 9th shot.

“I felt like I was competing in India, having two teammates next to me,” said the elated Indian Navy shooter.

Narang narrowly missed the bronze — by 0.1 points.

After starting in eighth place with a qualification score of 594, the Indian ace climbed up the scoreboard by firing 102.8 points in the final, finishing fourth with a total of 696.8 points.

“I am working on my equipment, there is still some tuning up to be done. This World Cup came early in the season. We ended 2009 with the Asian Championship in Doha in December and started preparing for the Commonwealth Championship quite early this year. There has not been that much time to rest in between,” said Narang.

Raghunath finished 7th with a total score of 694.9. He shot a score of 594 in the qualification round and 100.9 in the final.

Chinese shooter Cao Yifei, 21, won the gold with a score of 698.8 (596+102.8). The bronze went to 30-year-old Austrian Mario Knoegler, with a total score of 696.9 (595+101.9).