World University shooting c’ship: India on top of medal tally; Palak, Amit clinch mixed air pistol gold

With particularly stinging hits when it mattered the most, Palak Gulia and Amit Sharma clinched the mixed air pistol gold, beating compatriots Sainyam and Samrat Rana 16-12 in the World University shooting championship at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Sunday.

Sainyam and Samrat did step it up to make it a lively contest, after lying low initially, but Palak, the Asian Games gold medallist in particular, rose to the challenge to seal the gold.

It was the second gold for Palak after the team gold in women’s air pistol earlier. She had won the individual silver in the event.

In women’s trap, Neeru rose to the silver medal after having qualified in the sixth place with a modest score of 115. She was on par in the fight for the gold before the last 10 targets, but nervously missed two of the first five and lost the race to the flawless Zina Hrdlickova.

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Qualification topper Kirti Gupta settled for the bronze, while Aashmia Ahlawat placed fourth.

In the men’s 50-metre rifle 3-position event, nine-time World Cup gold medallist Jiri Privratsky overshadowed Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar by 4.7 points to clinch the gold.

Aishwary had shot strong in qualification for 592, and the effort fetched the gold for the team. Adriyan Karmakar missed the final by two points with 581 and Parikshit Brar was further a point away.

Jungsher Singh Virk shot 114 and missed the final by one point in men’s trap. The Indian team, with Bakhtyaruddin Malek and Aryan Vansh Tyagi as the other members, lost the bronze on the count back 68-71 to Italy.

India was on top of the medals table with four gold, five silver and two bronze.