National Selection Trials: Jitu Rai places first in air pistol

Pips Abhishek Arya by 0.2 point for the first place.

Jitu Rai has not been in the best form of late in the international arena.

Jitu Rai had further proof of the growing competition in the country even as he pipped Abhishek Arya by 0.2 point for the first place in air pistol in the fifth National selection trials at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Thursday.

Read - National Shotgun C'ship: Shagun Chowdhary wins gold in women's trap

Jitu, who has not been in his best form of late in the international arena, topped qualification with 582, two points ahead of Abhishek. In the final, Jitu trailed by 0.7 point before the last two shots, but delivered shots of 10.4 and 10.0 to assert his supremacy. Saurabh Chaudhary had taken the third place, ahead of Amar Singh, Shahzar Rizvi, Sudhir Kumar, Amanpreet Singh and Manjit.

In women’s rifle prone, former World Champion in the event, Tejaswini Sawant, placed at the top, 0.9 point ahead of Amandeep Kaur, while Anjum Moudgil pipped the seasoned Kuheli Gangulee for the third spot with a 0.2 point margin.

• Men
• 10m air pistol: 1. Jitu Rai 240.5 (582); 2. Abhishek Arya 240.3 (580); 3. Saurabh Chaudhary 219.8 (578).
• Women:
• 50m rifle prone: 1. Tejaswini Sawant 619.4; 2. Amandeep Kaur 618.3; 3. Anjum Moudgil 616.6.