Shotgun Worlds: Indian mixed trap team misses the mark

With each country allowed two teams, there was lively competition, even though Australia and Spain managed to put two teams in the knock-out phase by claiming gold and silver, respectively. Host Russia and US were the other teams to qualify for the six-team semifinals.

Team Australia took Gold in the Trap Mixed Team event with Penny Smith (L) and Thomas Derek Grice (R).

The Indian teams found the mixed trap competition too hot and placed 24th and 33rd in a field of 49 teams in the Shotgun World Championship in Moscow on Monday.

With the mixed team competition, included in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 to strike gender parity in the sport, becoming a medal event for the first time in the World Championship, there was a marked jump in both number and intensity.

With each country allowed two teams, there was lively competition, even though Australia and Spain managed to put two teams in the knock-out phase by claiming gold and silver, respectively. Host Russia and US were the other teams to qualify for the six-team semifinals.

Seema Tomar (43) and Zoravar Singh Sandhu (47) shot the best for India, but a total of 90 saw them miss the knock-out by four points and place 24th.

Five teams had tied on 94 for the last slot in the knock-out stage, and the second Spanish team won the shoot-off ahead of Lebanon, Portugal, Kuwait and Slovakia.

The second Indian team of Shreyasi Singh (42) and the men’s trap finalist Kynan Chenai (44), placed 33rd with a total of 86.

Incidentally, Shreyasi and Kynan had won the mixed trap bronze in the Asian shotgun championship in Astana.