Paris Olympics: Maheshwari Chauhan, Anant Jeet Singh Naruka Say Fourth Place is 'Not Good Enough' after Narrowly Missing Bronze Medal

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In a dramatic showdown at the Paris Olympics, Indian skeet shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the skeet mixed team event, finishing fourth with a score of 43. They were just one point behind the Chinese pair of Yiting Jiang and Lyu Jianlin, who clinched the bronze with a score of 44.

The contest was intense from start to finish, with both teams displaying remarkable skill and composure as the one-point difference at the end suggests both sides were winners in their own right. However, the Indian duo felt that fourth place wasn't good enough while speaking to myKhel.

Reflecting on the performance, Maheshwari Chauhan expressed a mix of pride and disappointment. "Yeah, we just had a little shaky start and then we fought and supported each other throughout really well," said Maheshwari.

"But the Chinese team is really strong, especially the men's shooter (Lyu Jianlin), and they were just slightly better than us today. That's just how the game is. Disappointed but proud of how well we worked together today and how close we got, but it's part of the game. We are going to come back stronger next time."

Anant Jeet Singh Naruka echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the learning experience and their longstanding partnership. "Yes, we are disappointed, of course. Everyone was looking for us to get a medal. It would have been great if we got a medal, but it's a good learning experience for our first Olympic Games," said Anant.

"We have reached here, we can be proud of. We work together very well. We know each other since a long time because we both are from Rajasthan and we've been shooting together, started together, and it was a great competition. But just as she mentioned, it was a shaky start, which can happen because it's the first shot. We got into the rhythm, we were doing well, but the Chinese were great from the start."

The qualification rounds leading up to the bronze medal match saw Chauhan and Naruka in impressive form. The pair tied with another team, both scoring 146 out of 150 shots, necessitating a shoot-off to determine the fourth-place team. Chauhan particularly excelled, achieving a perfect score of 50/50 in her last two rounds, while Naruka's steady performance complemented her efforts.

Despite their commendable performance, the narrow miss serves as a reminder of the fine margins in competitive sports. "It's heartbreaking right now, and it is still sinking in that we missed out on a medal because for us, finishing fourth isn't something we were hoping for. As athletes, I don't think we can settle for anything less than being on the podium. Right now, it's about accepting that not every good performance translates into a podium," said Maheshwari Chauhan.

This fourth-place finish is another addition to India's history of near-misses in the Olympics. However, it also reflects the growing prowess of Indian shooters on the global stage. The experience gained from this intense competition will undoubtedly fuel Chauhan and Naruka's future endeavours as they continue to aim for excellence in their sport.