Olympics Selection Trails: Sift Kaur Samra, Niraj Kumar Shine In 3-Position Shooting

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New Delhi, April 24: Hangzhou Asian Games medalist and world record holder Sift Kaur Samra, won the first women’s 50M Rifle 3 Positions (3P) Olympic Selection Trial (OST T1).

Meanwhile, Niraj Kumar emerged victorious in the men’s event, defeating four rivals, as the ongoing OSTs 1&2 at Dr Karni Singh Shooting range entered their sixth day on Wednesday (April 24).

Sift was up against it on the day with the in-form Ashi Choksey, the qualification topper by a distance, leading after the first 15 Kneeling position shots. The champion was second at the stage, 1.1 behind Ashi.

She then recovered brilliantly to blaze through the Prone position and by the end of it, she had not only wiped out the deficit but had in turn taken a lead of 2.4 over her nearest rival. Ultimately, her 466.3, was a healthy 3.7 above Ashi’s tally.

Tokyo Olympian Anjum Moudgil took the final podium point with a third (449.2) place finish. Nishchal (433.6) and Paris quota holder Shriyanka Sadangi (416.7) had to be satisfied with fourth and fifth spots.

If the women’s 3P winner was expected, the men’s 3P continued the trend of surprises that seem to be now coming thick and fast in the OSTs.

Niraj Kumar, another in-form shooter who recently had a brilliant exposure tour of Europe, turned the tables on some favourites en route to taking the win, with a finals score of 462.2. Quota holder and qualification topper Swapnil Kusale came in second, while Aishwary Tomar was third. Chain Singh and Akhil Sheoran were the wooden spooners in this final.

Olympic Qualifications in Air Pistol Events

Day six also saw the qualification rounds of the 10M Air Rifle and Pistol men’s and women’s competitions take place. Sandeep Singh with a sizzling 634.4 and Tilottama Sen with a 632.4, took top spots in the men’s and women’s 10M Air Rifle respectively.

Varun Tomar (583) and Rhythm Sangwan (578) on the other hand, finished on top of the men’s and women’s 10M Air Pistol qualification round. The T1 finals of the Air Rifle and Pistol OST comes up on Thursday when the historic match-ups complete a week of action.