Indian shooters continue to impress at the 6th FISU World University Shooting Championships being held at Bydgoszcz, Poland. Rifle specialists Akhil Sheoran and Vinita Bhardwaj have so far collected gold medals in individual categories at this tournament that will end on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Sheoran totalled 207.0 points to beat Poland’s Tomasz Bartnik (205.0) en route to the men’s 10m air rifle gold. The Delhi resident went on to add another gold as the Indian trio of Ekambir Singh, Milanpreet Singh and Sheoran finished first in the 10m Air Rifle team event.
The MBA graduate of the Jamia Milla Islamia University was a part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2015 Summer Universiade in the same category. The rising talent missed qualifying for the Rio Olympics by a whisker when he finished fourth at the Asia Shooting qualifiers earlier this year.
His achievements at the World University Shooting Championships helped to alleviate the pain of that heartbreak, Sheoran told fisu.net.
“After my bronze medal at the Gwangju Universiade, I knew I was going to fight for the title here. That was my goal which largely mitigates the disappointment that followed my non-qualification for the Rio Games.”
Bhardwaj upsets former Olympic gold medallist
Vinita Bhardwaj put up a gutsy performance to edge out Rio Olympic bronze medallist Yi Siling of China for the women’s 10m Air Rifle gold.
The highly experienced Chinese had clinched the gold in this event at the 2012 London Games but Bhardwaj managed to hold her nerve to produce 206.0, that was just two-tenths of a point ahead of Siling’s 205.8.
The Chandigarh girl’s determination is what has brought her this far. The 22-year-old suffers from club foot and has 40 per cent disability. The daughter of an Army officer, she had to face rejection from Mission Olympics Programme of the Indian Army because of her condition.
But she was adamant not to give up. She started training under coach Deepak Dubey in 2008 and even though she had to undergo four surgeries, it did not discourage her from pursuing shooting. This medal is indeed a reward for her tireless dedication.
India grabbed the 10m Air Rifle team gold as well, with Simrat Chahal, Dilreen Gill and Bhardwaj finishing on top of the podium.
Another girl from Chandigarh too has done well at this prestigious event. South Asian Games gold medallist Anjum Moudgil pocketed the silver medal in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions after scoring 457.7 in the final.
