Putian (China): Young Indian sensation Manu Bhaker created history on Thursday as she bagged a gold medal in women’s 10m Air Pistol event at the ongoing ISSF World Cup Final.
17-year-old Manu scored 244.7 in the final round, a junior world record score, and clinched the top honours. It was also India’s first gold this year at the ongoing tournament. In the process, she also became only the second Indian shooter after Heena Sidhu to win a gold medal in women’s 10m Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup.
Yashaswini Singh Deswal, who was also competing in the same event, finished at the sixth spot after she managed a score of 158.8 in the final round.
On Wednesday, Manu had missed out on a place in the finals of the women’s 25m pistol event after she finished 10th in Qualification. She shot 292 and 291 in the precision and rapid events respectively. She was tied with two others on the same score but lack of inner 10s as compared to the other two saw her drop out of contention for the final round.
Earlier this month, the Commonwealth Games gold-medallist had won gold in the same event at the Asian Shooting Championships held in Doha.
Both Manu and Yashaswini have already secured quotas in the 10m Air Pistol event for next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games. Manu had clinched the quota after she ended with a fourth-place finish at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Yashaswini had joined Bhaker after she won gold at the ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.
