Adding to India's gold rush, the troika of Niraj Kumar, Swapnil Kusale and Chain Singh won the gold medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions men's team event of the ISSF World Cup here on Friday, comfortably beating the USA 47-25 in the final.
Kumar, Kusale and Singh led through the final to easily claim the top prize ahead of the American team of Nickolaus Mowrer, Timothy Sherry and Patrick Sunderman at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. This was India's 12th gold in the marquee event.
The Indians started well with 10.1, 10.5, and 9.5 to the Americans' 9.9, 9.8 and 9.5 in the first series.
The visitor put up an improved show in the next three series but the home team always managed to stay well ahead of its opponents.
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Even as the Indians regularly scored mid and high 10s, the marksmen from USA struggled to match the standards of the host nation, often hovering in low nine and eight.
India were originally supposed to play Hungary in the final on Thursday but the visiting team pulled out of the event following a dispute between its world number one shooter Istvan Peni and the veteran Peter Sidi over the use of a bipod by the latter.
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Initially, USA had finished third in the event.
In Wednesday's qualification, the Indian team led the field with an aggregate score of 875.
The Hungary team, comprising Peni, Pekler and Sidi, was placed second, while the American trio of Nickolaus Mowrer, Timothy Sherry and Patrick Sunderman was third.
India's Kynan Chenai finished in fourth place after suffering an equipment malfunction during the final of the men's trap event in the ISSF World Cup here on Friday, dashing his hopes of securing an Olympic quota.
The 30-year-old Indian, who represented India in the Rio Olympics in 2016, had 27 hits before leaving the final.
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After the first 10 targets, Kynan was placed sixth with eight hits while Fernandez was at the top with 10. Kynan was tied third after the first 20 targets with 16 as Fernandez continued to lead the standings with 19 hits.
The Indian was sharing the third position with Spain's Antonio Bailon but the home shooter missed his next shot before succeeding in the next attempt. And soon, Kynan missed again to fall behind in the race but hit the target in the next shot.
The Indian was placed fifth after 25 shots with 19 hits, even as Fernandez strengthened his position at the top with 24.
Kynan was fourth after 30 shots with 23 hits, as Bailon exited the stage.
Kynan shot a total of 121 over two days of qualifications to qualify in sixth place on the shotgun range of the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.
He had scores of 24, 24, 25, 25 and 23 over five rounds.
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