Shalini Yashwant beat Commonwealth Games silver medallist Shreyasi Singh by three points to clinch the women’s double trap gold medal in the 59th National shotgun championship at the JDA range here on Tuesday.
For the 12th standard student from Bhopal, it was an impressive progress as Shalini had won the silver medal in the last edition in Patiala, beating Shreyasi in the shoot-off after being tied on 82, when Olympian Shagun Chowdhary had clinched the gold medal.
Shalini maintained a certain standard with rounds of 24, 21, 24 and 20 to garner 89 points, while the reigning National Games champion Shreyasi settled for 86, with rounds of 20, 23, 21 and 22.
Shagun slipped in the last round with 19, after having shot 20, 22 and 24, to take the bronze medal, one point behind Shreyasi.
“I concentrated on my shooting and did not think about beating anyone. I am happy to have beaten such experienced shooters,” said Shalini.
It was a proud moment for coach Mansher Singh as Manisha Keer added the junior gold medal, to enhance the collection for Madhya Pradesh, after Anam Basit had won the trap gold medal earlier. Incidentally, Manisha had won the junior trap gold medal as well.
“After the trap, I sent the girls back to Bhopal for training in double trap. They trained well for about a week. They came back to shoot their best,” said Mansher, who has been a tough task master and have made the girls physically and mentally tough, ready for any challenge.
Both Shalini and Manisha had helped the Madhya Pradesh team to the gold medal in the National Games.
The 16-year-old Manisha, daughter of a fisherman, Kailash Keer, and studying in the ninth standard at the New Jyoti Higher Secondary School in Bhopal, was equally happy to have improved her score to 80. She had shot 51 in trap and finished 27th among the juniors in the World Championship in Lonato this season.
Aliana Paul, sister of rifle shooter Ayonika Paul, was able to stop the Madhya Pradesh domination by winning the junior silver medal for Maharashtra, three points ahead of Nivetha Nenthirasigamani from Tamil Nadu, who had won the trap bronze medal earlier.
In the men’s section, World Cup Final bronze medallist Mohd Asab led with a total of 82 after three rounds, two points ahead of Ahvar Rizvi, Bhowneesh Mendiratta and Ankur Mittal.
Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi was on 75, the same as Prithviraj Tondaiman, a trap specialist.
Among the juniors, an interesting battle was brewing at the top with Ahvar Rizvi and Bhowneesh Mendiratta leading with 80, three points ahead of Gursher Singh Kohli, while Shapath Bhardwaj and Aditya Vikram Singh followed on 76.
The last two rounds of the qualification phase of 30 shots each, will be followed by the knock-out phase on Wednesday.
The results:
Double trap:
Women: 1. Shalini Yashwant 89; 2. Shreyasi Singh 86; 3. Shagun Chowdhary 85.
Juniors: 1. Manisha Keer 80; 2. Aliana Paul 70; 3. Nivetha Nenthirasigamani 67.
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