World Cup shooting: Rajput ends 5-year drought with silver

Ace shooter Sanjeev Rajput shrugged off the disappointment of not being able to make the India squad for his third Olympics by landing the silver medal in the men’s 50 metre rifle 3 position event of the ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday. This is the 35-year old’s third World Cup medal and his first in five years.

Rajput shot 456.9 to clinch silver, while Croatia’s Petar Gorsa won the gold medal with 457.5. Korea’s Hyeonjun Kim took bronze at 445.5. Rajput finished seventh in the qualification with a score of 1167 in kneeling, prone and standing position.

Skeet shooter Man Singh overcame one shoot-off to qualify for the six-member final, but could not do so in the second to make it to the bronze medal match up. He eventually finished sixth. Singh had shot 122 out of 125 in the qualifying to be tied with five other shooters.

Among others, Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event) ended 23rd on 1161 while Chain Singh totalled 1159 to finish 32nd.

Skeet shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan (121) ended 16th while Sheeraz Shaikh shot 117 to finish further down. India finished their Baku World Cup engagements with two silver medals and nine finalists.

Rajput shot 456.9 to clinch silver, while Croatia’s Petar Gorsa won the gold medal with 457.5