Date:11/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/11/stories/2007051106021900.htm

Sport - Shooting

Indians have a poor day

NEW DELHI: The Indian challenge wound up in a whimper as the marksmen were much below par in the 50m free pistol and free rifle prone events in the shooting World Cup in Bangkok that concluded on Thursday.

In free pistol, Samaresh Jung who had fared creditably in making the air pistol final, shot a 550 out of 600 to finish 34th among 63, four places behind compatriot Amanpreet Singh Jhaam, who shot a 551.

Samaresh had a series of 93, 86, 93, 90, 95 and 93. With 562 making the last entry among the eight finalists, the Indians did miss it by a long shot.

In the free rifle prone event, Sanjeev Rajput took the 42nd position with a 589 following rounds of 96, 97, 98, 100, 99 and 99.

The Indian pistol and rifle shooters have only one more World Cup, to be held in Munich from May 30 to June 3, to bag the Olympic quota places before they get the last and the best chance in the Asian championship to be staged at Kuwait in December.

So far, seven Indian shooters have bagged the Olympic quota places.

The results: Men: 50m free pistol: 1. Oleg Omelchuk (Ukr) 662.1 (566); 2. Norayr Bakhtamyan (Arm) 661.9 (567); 3. Boris Kokorev (Rus) 661.8 (567); 30. Amanpreet Singh Jhaam 551; 34. Samaresh Jung 550; 58. Vivek Singh 538.

50m free rifle prone: 1. Warren Potent (Aus) 702.3 (598); 2. Hyun Tae Lee (Kor) 700.8 (597); 3. Matthew Emmons (U.S.) 700.0 (597); 42. Sanjeev Rajput 589; 51. Surendra Singh Rathod 586.