HeenaSidhu Wins Women’s Air Pistol Gold at Commonwealth Shooting Championship


-  Her second international Shooting Gold in two weeks after ISSF World Cup Final Mixed Team Pistol Gold in Delhi last week
-  Deepak Kumar wins Bronze in 10M Air Rifle Men
-  GaganNarang breaks Commonwealth qualification record to finish fourth
-  Three India’s reached both event finals
-  RashmmiRathore reached Women’s Skeet final to finish sixth

New Delhi, October 31, 2017: HeenaSidhu won her second international Shooting Gold in two weeks, when she won the 10M Air Pistol Women’s event at the ongoing Commonwealth ShootingChampionship in Brisbane, Australia. Last week Heena had partnered JituRai in the Mixed Team Air Pistol event at the New Delhi World Cup Finals to win Gold for her country. Deepak Kumar, in the Men’s 10M Air Rifle, also won Bronze to make it a profitable start to the Championship for India.

Heena was strong through the day, topping qualification with a high score of 386, her best in international competition since the 387 she shot at the Asian Championship in New Delhi two years ago. In the final, Heena opened up a gap of over two points after the first five shot series itself over her nearest rival and led throughout, nailing the title with a perfect 10.9 in the 23rd and penultimate shot. Elena Galiabovitch of Australia won Silver with a score of 238.2 to Heena’s 240.8 while Kristy Gillman, also from the host country, won Bronze with 213.7

India’s HarveenSrao finished fourth in the final with a score of 194.1 while the third Indian,ShriNivethaParamanantham was the fourth finalist to be eliminated. She finished fifth with a finals score of 174.5

In the Men’s 10M Air Rifle, former Olympic Bronze medalist GaganNarang, first shattered the Commonwealth qualification record to top qualification with a score of 626.2. Two other Indians, Ravi Kumar in second with 625 and Deepak Kumar in fifth with 620.3 qualified for the eight-man final.

However Australian teenager Alex Hoberg stole the show in the final, claiming Gold with a score of 247.6 after the allotted 24 shots. Countryman Jack Rossiter challenged him till the end to win Silver with 245.5. The Indians finished 3,4,5 with Deepak Kumar claiming Bronze with 224.2. Gagan shot 203 to finish fourth while Ravi finished fifth with a final round score of 182.2

In the Women’s Skeet, India’s RashmmiRathore made the six-woman final with a qualification round score of 65 out of 75. She eventually finished sixth. Two other Indians, MaheshwariChauhan and Sania Sheikh shot 64 and 62 respectively to miss out on a shot at medals.