Asian Games 2018: 15-year-old Shardul Vihan wins silver in the double trap event

Palembang, August 23: The country witnessed another teenage sensation at the 18th Asian Games on Thursday (August 23), as Shardul Vihan secured a silver medal finish in the double trap event on Thursday. Shardul lost out on a golden finish by just a point as Korea's Hyunwoo Shin clinched the yellow metal with a final score of 74. 15-year-old Shardul finished second at the quadrennial event with a final score of 73. Qatar's Hamad Ali Al Marri won bronze with a score of 53 on the fifth day of the competition.

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Earlier in the day, the teenager had put on a sensational performance to storm into the Final of the Doubles Trap event. The Indian claimed a top spot in the qualification round with a total of 141 points. Meanwhile, another Indian, Ankur Mittal, missed out on a sport in the final, after finishing joint 8th.

WHAT A STAR!

At 15 YEARS, Shardul Vihan, one of our youngest in #AsianGames2018, has made us immensely proud with a silver in Double Trap Shooting.

His prowess convinces me that the future of Indian sports is in VERY safe hands! #KheloIndia #IndiaAtAsianGames @asiangames2018 pic.twitter.com/nSh6K8mXto

— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 23, 2018

With the second-place finish, young Shardul become the third Indian teenager to win a shooting medal at this year's Asian Games. Also, he became the third Indian to clinch a medal in the double trap event at the Asian Games. The other two Indians to have won medals in the category are Ronjan Sodhi and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. While Sodhi won Gold in the 2010 edition, Rathore finished second to him in the same edition, clinching silver.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing edition, Meerat lad Shardul is the third teenager to win a shooting medal for India, after Saurabh Chaudhary won a gold in 10m air pistol and Lakshay Sheoran won silver in the trap event.

With this medal, India's total medal count goes up to a total of 17, which includes four gold medals, four silver and nine bronze medals.

Usually, the shotgun competitions are dominated by older shooters but not today. Vihan, a class 10 student of Dayawati Modi Academy in Modipuram, was unfazed by the presence of experienced shooters double his age. The bronze winner is almost triple his age.

Unbelievable!
Shardul Vihan wins Silver medal in Double Trap (Shooting) . He is just 15 years of age. Wow 🙏🏼 #AsianGames2018⁠ ⁠ pic.twitter.com/mP5oyK1Fdu

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 23, 2018

Vihan took to shooting seriously only four years ago, under the tutelage of Shamli-based coach Anwar Sultan, who witnessed his student's success in person. "The moment he came to me I knew he would excel at whatever he does. Be it table tennis or badminton or any other sport. He has an amazing muscle memory. Now I will prepare him for the trap event," said Sultan, looking at the future as double trap is no more an Olympic sport.

His uncle Manoj Vihan, who was also here, revealed his punishing schedule. "He wakes up at five in the morning every day, goes to Karni Shooting Rane (in Delhi) from Meerut, and comes back only by nine in the night. Imagine a 15-year-old doing all this," said Manoj.

Vihan comes from a business family who is into property and farming. He tried cricket and then badminton before settling at shooting. "I won a shooting medal in 2014 at a North Zone meet. That was it (when I knew what I would be doing for a long time)," said a supremely confident Vihan, who only began with a shotgun and fell in love with it.
He had a sensational 2017 when he amassed four national titles and the cherry on the cake was a medal at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Germany.

India coach Mansher Singh had given Vihan a timely advice after he had played his daily round of PUBG, a shooting video game, with his friend and fellow shooter Lakshay Sheoran at the Games Village last night. "Sir ne bola, kal sab tere se badi umar ke honge. Chad ke khelna (all competitors will be a lot older to you, just shoot fearless and they will be wary of you). I just did that," said the teen prodigy.

(With inputs from PTI)

There were no signs of fatigue even though he was out in scorching sun for almost four hours, having topped the qualification earlier. "I was as fresh as ever," said the shooter, who also likes to cook besides his video game bingeing. Can he make an omelette? "Of course. I can make some really good Aaloo Jeera also. I like to cook whenever I can," added Vihan.

Shardul Vihan wins SILVER in men's double trap event! 🥈

What a performance by the teenage sensation as he makes the nation proud! #SPNSports #KoiKasarNahi #AsianGames2018 pic.twitter.com/W3PzIGE8C5

— SPN- Sports (@SPNSportsIndia) August 23, 2018

That was when National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Raninder Singh, who was standing close to him, veered into the conversation. "I want to know when are you having your first shave?" he asked. After all, the boy had become a man.

Meanwhile, in the women's double trap event, Shreyasi Singh and Varsha Varman disappointed, finishing sixth and seventh on Friday.