National selection trials: Heena Sidhu tops in women’s air pistol

In the final, Heena Sidhu finishes nearly six points ahead of Shweta Singh.

(From left) Shweta Singh, Heena Sidhu and Manu Bhaker at the conclusion of the 10m air pistol event on Thursday. Photo: Kamesh Srinivasan

The talented aspirants on her heels have pushed Heena Sidhu to obtain higher standards, as she showed yet again by topping the second shooting National selection trials in women’s air pistol at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Thursday.

After qualifying in the second place with 1176, seven points behind the Youth Olympics champion Manu Bhaker, Heena was unstoppable in the final. She won with a score of 243.7, nearly six points ahead of Shweta Singh.

Read | Adarsh Singh braces up for senior international debut

Heena, the two-time Olympian, had topped the first trial in qualification with a world record score of 587. Making the national team for the World Cups in pursuit of the Olympic quota may not be that difficult for Heena, who may be particularly upset about being kept in the waiting list for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the Tokyo Games in 2020.

Third place for Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker was in fine form in the final as well, avoiding elimination narrowly in the early stages with impressive shots stretching up to 10.8 twice, but a few 8s and 9s pulled her down to the third place.

Gaaythri Nithyanandam finished second in 50m rifle 3-position. Photo: Kamesh Srinivasan

 

Heena and Manu had commendable performances, even as the Asian Games medallist Shweta asserted her ability in two days of intense competition. Thirteen-year-old Esha Singh, the national women’s champion, felt the heat of battle. Esha, who had also won the junior and youth gold medals in Thiruvananthapuram, missed the women’s final with a score of 566 that placed her 27th.

Moudgil tops

Shakshi Dagar, Aarju Vaishnav, Anuradha, Aakanksha Bansal and Annu Raj Singh were the others to make the women’s final.

Read | Heena Sidhu equals qualification world record

In the women’s rifle 3-position event, favourite and world record holder Anjum Moudgil topped the field ahead of qualification topper Gaaythri Nithyanandam, with an impressive total of 460.6. Tejaswini Sawant placed third, ahead of Elizabeth Susan Koshy, K. C. Hema, Sunidhi Chauhan, Kajal Saini and Sonika.

In the junior women’s event, Shrin Godara overtook the topper of the previous trial, Zenab Hussain Bandookwala, after both had qualified with low scores of 1135 and 1139 respectively.

Olympian Gurpreet Singh dominated the men’s standard pistol event with 581, ahead of the World junior champions — Sidhu brothers Vijayveer and Udhayveer, who topped the junior event.

• 10m air pistol
• Women: 1. Heena Sidhu 243.7 (576); 2. Shweta Singh 238.0 (572); 3. Manu Bhaker 217.5 (583).

• Trial-1
• Junior women: 1. Manu Bhaker 244.5 (579); 2. Esha Singh 240.4 (571); 3. Yashasvi Joshi 215.3 (569).
• Youth women: 1. Saumya Dhyani 241.4 (566); 2. Vibhuti Bhatia 237.6 (572); 3. Yashasvi Joshi 215.3 (569).

• 25m standard pistol
• Men: Gurpreet Singh 581; 2. Vijayveer Sidhu 579; 3. Udhayveer Sidhu 574.
• Junior men: 1. Vijayveer Sidhu 579; 2. Udhayveer Sidhu 574; 3. Adarsh Singh 573.

• 50m rifle 3-position
• Women: 1. Anjum Moudgil 460.6 (1172); 2. Gaayathri Nithyanandam 457.4 (1174); 3. Tejaswini Sawant 445.7 (1172).
• Junior women: 1. Shirin Godara 450.7 (1135); 2. Zenab Hussain Bandookwala 447.6 (1139); 3. Ayushi Podder 438.2 (1146).