Shahzar Rizvi beats Jitu Rai for Asian gold

Shahzar led from start to finish in the 20-shot final and pipped Jitu Rai, who ended up with an 8.9 last shot that stretched the margin. The trio of Shahzar, Jitu and Om Prakash Mitharval won the team gold for India, eight points ahead of the Chinese.

Jitu Rai settled for silver with compatriot Shahzar Rizva taking the gold in the air pistol competition.

Shahzar Rizvi beat the much accomplished Jitu Rai by 2.4 points for the air pistol gold in the ninth Asian Air Gun championship in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday.

After the domination of the Chinese and a lack of any individual medals in the air rifle events in both men and women’s sections, it was a welcome change of fortunes for the Indian squad.

In fact, the Indian team did a Chinese by dominating the men’s pistol events. Shahzar who had placed ninth among the juniors in the last World Championship with a total of 572, topped the qualification with a total of 580, three points better than the next best.

Shahzar led from start to finish in the 20-shot final and pipped Jitu Rai, who ended up with an 8.9 last shot that stretched the margin. The trio of Shahzar, Jitu and Om Prakash Mitharval won the team gold for India, eight points ahead of the Chinese.

While Saurabh Chaudhary missed the junior gold by 0.7 point to He Zhengyang of China, Anmol did well to clinch the youth gold for India ahead of Hu Pengqi of China by 0.2 point.

The Indian juniors won the team gold as well, with Gurmeet and Hemendra Kushwah making the final. The Indian team fancied its chances for the gold in the youth section as well, but the third member of the squad, Gaurav Rana ‘’did not start’’, even as Surinder Singh made the final along with Anmol.

The three gold and two silver medals enriched the Indian team’s collection after the first two days had produced only two silver and a bronze in the team events.

The women’s air pistol events will be held on Thursday.

The results:

Air pistol:

Men: 1. Shahzar Rizvi 199.9 (580); 2. Jitu Rai 197.5 (576); 3. Wu Jiayu (Chn) 178.3 (577); 6. Om Prakash Mitharval 115.3 (573). Team: 1. India 1729, 2. China 1721, 3. Kazakhstan 1710.

Junior men: 1. He Zhengyang (Chn) 196.5 (579); 2. Saurabh Chaudhary 195.8 (572); 3. Gurmeet 172.7 (567); 6. Hemendra Kushwah 114.9 (570). Team: 1. India 1709, 2. Chinese Taipei 1670, 3. Iran 1666.

Youth men: 1. Anmol 199.0 (574); 2. Hu Pengqi (Chn) 198.8 (572); 3. Feng Guangyu (Chn) 173.7 (569); 4. Surinder Singh 153.7 (560). Team: 1. China 1701, 2. Iran 1647, 3. Kazakhstan 1640.