Date:28/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102861611700.htm

Sport - Asian Games

Manavjit defends gold

— PHOTO: AFP

Manavjit Singh Sandhu.

NEW DELHI: World champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu defended his gold medal in the Asian clay shooting championship at Manila on Friday.

Despite going into the final two points behind the leader, Manavjit was tied for the first place with former World champion Khaled Al Mudhaf as both returned a total of 138 out of 150.

Manavjit won the tie-shoot 2-1 to defend the gold that he had won in Singapore last year.

Zorawar Singh Sandhu and Anwer Sultan had also shot 118 like Manavjit in the qualifying series, but were unimpressive in the single-barrel final.

Zoravar was tied for the third place with Wang Yew Lee of Singapore, but lost the tie-shoot 3-4.

Sultan won a tie-shoot against Chee Kheng Ong of Malaysia to take the fifth place.

The Indian team also retained the gold with 354 out of 375.

It was announced that the next Asian clay shooting championship would be held at Jaipur in February 2008.

The results:

Men’s trap: 1. Manavjit Singh Sandhu 138 (118) 2; 2. Khaled Al Mudhaf (Kuw) 138 (120) 1; 3. Wang Yew Lee (Sin) 137 (116) 4; 4. Zoravar Singh Sandhu 137 (118) 3; 5. Anwer Sultan 135 (118).

Women’s trap: 1. Zhou Mei (Chn) 86 (67); 2. Suzu Keiko (Jpn) 83 (62); 3. Ma Huike (Chn) 82 (65); 6. Shagun Chowdhary 75 (60).