For the second day running, an Indian Olympic-bound shooter bagged a medal at the ISSF World Cup in Munich to make the country’s medal haul look a lot more respectable after a listless start to the week in Germany.
After Sarabjot Singh’s gold in men’s 10m air pistol on Thursday, Sift Kaur Samra, bound for Paris as well, got bronze in women’s 50m rifle three positions.
India was in line for Friday’s second medal, but Tokyo Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, set for another Olympic appearance next month, made the men’s 50m rifle three positions final with 592 in qualification, but was the first to be eliminated and finished 8th.
Sift’s medal could have been a brighter colour as after the 43rd shot she was top two but a 10.1 pushed her to third place, and she finished with a 452.9.
Gold went to World No 1 Seonaid McIntosh of Great Britain with a 466.7 (593), and silver to world champion in 10m air rifle Han Jiayu of China with 462.6.
Sift, 22, was fifth in qualification with a 593, while Han equalled the world record to top with 596. The other Indian shooters in the fray disappointed by failing to reach the final. The experienced Anjum Moudgil (589), in line for Paris Olympics, finished 26th, Asian Games bronze medalist Ashi Chouksey (590) was 19th and Rio de Janeiro World Cup silver medalist Nischal (588) 35th in Ranking Points Only (RPO).
For one who made the world stage three years ago, Sift has made rapid strides.
After home success early in 2023 with bronze at the Bhopal World Cup, Sift secured an Olympic quota at the Baku World Championship last year, and followed it with gold at the Asian Games with a world record of 469.6 for India’s first-ever individual gold in rifle at the Asian Games. More glory was in store in Hangzhou as she added a silver to her name in the team event.
This year, it was silver at the Asian Championships in Jakarta, and Friday’s bronze, her second in a World Cup, comes on the heels of topping the Olympic Selection Trials at home with a final average total of 590.87.
Sift was proud of the way she negotiated the final as working her way from “seventh to third was difficult”. Coming to Munich was her choice and Sift stands vindicated as she knows the kind of training and scores she requires in the buildup to the Paris Games.
The quality of the field on Friday did have her nervous, but Sift admitted it was good preparation ahead of the Olympics.
From now on, it will be training camps and exposure trips, to which Sift is eagerly looking forward to.
Courtesy Sarabjot and Sift’s medals, India is tied third with France on the medals tally with a gold and bronze. China is top with four gold, four silver and three bronze, followed by Norway with a gold, silver and bronze apiece.