The host had to endure another bitter pill as Elizabeth Susan Koshy missed the Olympic quota place in women’s rifle 3-position event after a brave performance in tough conditions in the Asia Olympic qualifying shooting competition on Sunday.
For the second day running, it was the story of narrow miss for Indian shooting at the Dr. Karni Singh Range in Tughlakabad, as the gloomy weather added to the disappointment. India had won three Olympic berths on the first three days through Heena Sidhu, Kynan Chenai and Ayonika Paul.
The sun did break through, even as cold breeze kept company, but it was the visitors, the Koreans, the Iranians, the Japanese, the Singaporeans and the Taipei who rejoiced as they shared six Olympic berths through the day.
Korea was particularly strong as it swept the medals in the women’s sports pistol, but had to settle for only one quota place as it had already won one earlier. Korea won another quota place in the rifle 3-position event and it was at the expense of the 21-year-old Elizabeth, who was eventually placed fourth.
Elizabeth loses to Lee Kyerim
It was a fine performance by Elizabeth in the morning when she shot 580 out of 600 in difficult weather conditions, to qualify for the final in the sixth place. In the final, Elizabeth stayed in the race for one of the three Olympic quota on offer right through the 30 shots in kneeling and prone positions. However, she slipped a bit in the standing position and eventually lost the race for the quota and the medals by three points to the Korean, Lee Kyerim.
Elizabeth had missed the chance to gain Olympic berth in the World Cup in Munich last year, when she shot 586 but lost the final berth to another shooter on the same score with one extra inner-10.
The effort of Elizabeth could be gleaned from the fact that the better experienced, Lajja Gauswami who had won a World Cup silver medal, ended up 26th with a modest score of 567, while the talented Anjum Moudgil slipped further down to 30th with a 564, in a field of 37 shooters.
Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei of Singapore pinned the elusive Olympic quota with a majestic performance as she won the gold after topping the qualification with 586 in the 3-position even.
In women’s sports pistol, World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat shot 575 and missed the final by two points. A better fare of 290 in the rapid fire section, as against 585 in the precision series on Saturday, proved inadequate.
Annu Raj Singh who had shot 289 on the first day, stumbled out with a 281 on the second day, which dashed India’s hopes of charging at one of the three Olympic quotas in the event. Anisa Sayyed also raised hopes but a last card of 91 dashed it.
With the Korean gold medallist Koh Eun taking one quota, the other two in sports pistol went to fourth-placed Akiko Sato of Japan and the fifth-placed Chia Ying Wu of Chiese Taipei.
The results:
Women: 25m sports pistol: 1. Koh Eun (Kor) 8 (17) 585; 2. Kim Minjung (Kor) 2 (20) 578; 3. Kim Ji Hye (Kor) 8 (13) 577; 4. Akkiko Sato (Jpn) 4 (13) 579; 12. Rahi Sarnobat 575; 17. Anisa Sayyed 572; 21. Annu Raj Singh 570. MQS: Heena Sidhu 574; Gauri Sheoran 570.
50m rifle3-position: 1. Jasmine Ser Xiang Wei (Sin) 458.0 (586); 2. Mahlagha Jambozorg (Iri) 455.4 (582); 3. Lee Kyerim Kor) 443.5 (584); 4. Ellizabeth Susan Koshy 430.5 (580); 26. Lajja Gauswami 567; 30. Anjum Moudgil 564. MQS: N. Gaayathri 564; Anuja Jung 558.
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