Shooting: India's Bhavtegh Singh Gill Wins Silver At Porpetto Junior World Cup

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Porpetto (Italy), Jul 15: Bhavtegh Singh Gill secured a silver medal in the men's skeet event, earning India their second medal of the competition as the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup concluded on Monday (July 15) in Porpetto, Italy.

The Indian shooter, who won silver at last year's Junior Asian Championships, scored 52 in the six-man final, finishing behind American Benjamin Keller, who took gold with 56 out of 60 clay targets.

Bhavtegh’s achievement, along with the bronze medal won by Sabeera Haris in the junior women’s trap earlier, helped India secure third place in the medal standings, behind the leading nations USA and Italy.

Shooting his final two rounds of qualification to begin the day, Bhavtegh made the top six in fifth position with a score of 121. American Jordan Sapp, who won bronze eventually, topped the field with a perfect 125, equalling the junior world record.

Italian Antonio La Volpe won a 15-shot four-way shoot-off to clinch the sixth and final spot after shooting 120. Frenchman Dorian Richard and La Volpe were the least accurate in the initial stages of the final, missing five and seven targets each in the first round comprising 20 targets.

Bhavtegh lay joint second at this stage along with Sapp and Lithunian Tomas Vaitekunas, all having missed three targets each. Keller meanwhile took the early lead, shooting down all 20.

He then had a perfect round of 20 of his own to not only catch up with Keller, who missed three in this round, but also assure himself of a medal as Sapp went down to bronze position. The Indian then did well to hold on to silver, as Keller finished strongest to clinch gold.

Zoravar Bedi (115) and Munek Battula (113), two other Indians in the junior men’s skeet were further down the standings in 26th and 33rd spots respectively. Sanjana Sood with a 114 was the best Indian in the junior women’s skeet finishing 10th overall. Compatriots Vanshika Tiwari (112) was 13th while Zahra Deesawala (101) finished 36th overall.