Shotgun World C’ship: Soumya Gupta narrowly misses out on final berth

The Indian finishes seventh in a field of 36 shooters.

With six shooters tied on 65 for the last four berths in the final, Soumya missed the first bird and bowed out of competition.

Soumya Gupta shot 65 but missed out on a berth in the junior women’s final in the shoot-off in the Shotgun World Championship in Moscow on Saturday.

With six shooters tied on 65 for the last four berths in the final, Soumya missed the first bird and bowed out of competition. To finish seventh in a field of 36 shooters was creditable, but Soumya could have easily made the final but for a third round of 20. She had missed only six birds in all in the first two rounds before losing her grip on the second day.

Nivetha Nenthirasigamani (61) and Manisha Keer (57) were 15th and 29th respectively.

In the women’s trap event, Rajeshwari Kumari shot 68 out of 75, and was positioned 12th, as she missed the final by three points. She had a series of 23, 22 and 23. World Cup silver medallist Seema Tomar (62) and Shreyasi Singh (61) were 44th and 49th respectively in a field of 67.

Chenai shoots 74

In the men’s event, Olympian Kynan Chenai was in command with 74 out of 75. He was in the third spot while Jiri Liptak of the Czech Republic led with a perfect 75. Zoravar Singh Sandhu also came up with a perfect round on the second day to log a total of 72 that put him in the ninth place, with two more rounds to go before the final. Birendeep Sodhi also improved to the 50th place in a field of 147, following a round of 23 in a total of 69.

Among the junior men, Akash Saharan was in the eighth place with a total of 70, along with Lakshay. Manavaditya Rathore had 67, as all the three shot a better third round. The junior men will also shoot two more rounds before the top six fight for the medals in a progressive knock-out format.