Manu Bhaker strikes two golds in Junior World Cup

Coming off a double gold in her maiden senior World Cup in Mexico recently, the 16-year-old Manu shot 235.9 to finish top of the podium.

Manu had won the women’s gold on World Cup debut in Guadalajara, Mexico, earlier this month, and had followed that up with the mixed air pistol gold with Om Prakash Mitharval.

Whatever she touches, turns into gold. Manu Bhaker continued to lend the golden touch to Indian shooting as the 16-year-old won the individual and team gold medals in women’s air pistol in the Junior World Cup in Sydney on Saturday. Manu had won the women’s gold on World Cup debut in Guadalajara, Mexico, earlier this month, and had followed that up with the mixed air pistol gold with Om Prakash Mitharval. After leading for the most part in the 24-shot final, Manu trailed by a point before the last two shots. Even though she did not get the 10s, Manu delivered strong shots in the end to win by a two-point margin, as Kanyakom Hirunphoem of Thailand dramatically slipped with a 7.9 last shot. National junior chief coach for pistol Jaspal Rana’s daughter Devanshi Rana shot very well but missed a medal by 0.1 point, as Lu Kaiman of China overtook her to the bronze. The Indian trio of Manu, Devanshi and Mahima Agrawal won the team gold with a world junior record of 1693 points, 12 points ahead of China. There were more medals for India, in men’s air pistol and mixed trap team events. Ali Aman Elahi and Manisha Keer won the mixed trap silver behind Italy, while the second Indian team of Kirti Gupta and Vivaan Kapoor finished fourth. Gaurav Rana and Anmol were overwhelmed by the Chinese supremacy in men’s air pistol, as Wang Zhehao won the gold by 8.6 point margin. There were five Indians in the final apart from three Chinese. The Indian teams managed to bag the gold and bronze. The additional team helped India consolidate its position in the second place with five gold, two silver and five bronze medals, two behind China which had taken its tally to six gold, three silver and five bronze.

The results: Men:10m air pistol: 1. Wang Zhehao (Chn) 242.5 (WRJ) 575; 2. Gaurav Rana 233.9 (572); 3. Anmol 215.1 (571); 6. Arjun Singh Cheema 152.7 ((575); Anhad Jawanda 134.4 (566); 8. Abhishek Arya 114.5 (563); 11. Adarsh Singh 546.. Team: 1. India 1718; 2. China 1716; 3. India-B 1673. Women:10m air pistol: 1. Manu Bhaker 236.9 (570); 2. Kanyakom Hirunphoem (Tha) 234.9 (576 WRJ); 3. Lu Kaiman (Chn) 214.2 (560); 4. Devanshi Rana 195.3 (564); 9. Mahima Turhi Agrawal 559. Team: 1. India 1693 (WRJ); 2. China 1681; 3. Thailand 1673. Mixed trap: 1. Italy 38 (WRJ) 133 (WRJ); 2. India (Ali Aman Elahi, Manisha Keer) 34 (132); 3. China 28 (131); 4. India-1 (Vivaan Kapoor, Kirti Gupta) 24 (130).