Young star Sift Kaur Samra stole the show with a gold medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 position event as Indian shooters set the range ablaze on Wednesday by securing as many as seven medals at the Asian Games.
In the same event, Ashi Chouksey, who was in contention for a silver, settled for bronze with a score of 451.9.
World champion Zhang Qiongyue of China won the silver.
Esha Singh claimed silver in the women’s 25m pistol event. On her way to silver, Esha upstaged her senior Manu Bhaker, who finished a disappointing fifth.
Samra, 23, produced some excellent shooting to claim the yellow metal with a world
and Games record score of 469.6. She also became the first Indian to win gold in rifle 3 position.
In March this year, Samra felt that picking up a rifle was a better career option than to use a stethoscope.
Gold medallists (from left) Esha Singh, Rhythm Sangwan and Manu Bhaker after their win in the women’s 25m pistol rapid team event on Wednesday. PTI photo
It was an inspired call. The 23-year-old dropped out of her MBBS course to concentrate on full-time shooting. Samra was juggling between her MBBS studies at the GGS Medical College in Faridkot and shooting earlier.
“I dropped out from MBBS in March. I am currently doing Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports from GNDU in Amritsar,” Samra said after winning the gold.
Asked why she left the MBBS course, she said: “I don’t know. It is my parents’ decision. I can go for civil services also.”
The 23-year-old from Faridkot in Punjab also said that she was an accidental shooter.
“That one was a mixed choice (choosing to be a shooter). I was an accidental shooter. A shotgun shooter, my cousin introduced me to shooting. My first state event went well and all my relatives told my parents that I should go for shooting. Luckily, it worked.”
Samra broke the Asian Games record in qualification with a total score of 594 (out of 600) along with China’s Xia Siyu, who finished on top by virtue of higher inner 10 scores (closer to the centre of the target.)
The trio of Samra, Chouksey and Manini Kaushik claimed the team silver in the 50m rifle 3 position event with a total score of 1764 in the qualification.
The triumvirate of Bhaker, Esha and Rhythm Sangwan fired in tandem to win gold in the 25m pistol team event. Anant Jeet Singh Naruka claimed the silver medal in the men’s skeet event, adding to the team bronze he won with Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Gurjoat Khangura.
