Youth Olympics: Mehuli Ghosh wins silver in women’s air rifle

The Commonwealth Games silver-medallist missed the gold by 0.7 points to Stephanie Laura Grundsoee of Denmark.

Mehuli Ghosh at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. (file photo)

Commonwealth Games silver-medallist Mehuli Ghosh captured the silver as she missed the gold by 0.7 points to Stephanie Laura Grundsoee of Denmark in the women’s air rifle in the Youth Olympics on Monday.

Mehuli, who had won the bronze in the World Cup in Guadalajara earlier this season and youth gold in Asian Championship last year, led by 0.8 points before the last two shots. After a 10.4 penultimate shot in the 24-shot final, which saw her lead by 0.6 point, Mehuli undid her good work with a 9.7 last shot, as against 10.4 by the girl from Denmark.

Mehuli had topped qualification with 628.1, ahead of Wang Zeru of China (626.4). It may be recalled that Mehuli had lost the Commonwealth Games in the shoot-off after a tie.

Coming after the men’s air rifle silver by Shahu Tushar Mane, it was a 100 per cent strike rate for the two Indian rifle shooters, much to the joy of former Asian champion, Olympic finalist and world record-holder, Suma Shirur, who has accompanied the shooters as coach.

The focus will now be on the air pistol shooters, multiple World Cup gold-medallist and Commonwealth Games champion, Manu Bhaker and the Asian Games gold-medallist Saurabh Chaudhary.

The results Women 10m air rifle: 1. Stephanie Laura Grundsoee (Den) 248.7 (624.3); 2. Mehuli Ghosh 248.0 (628.1); 3. Marija Malic (Srb) 226.2 (621.7).