"I wish I could win a medal but this is great" - Rajeshwari Kumari after bagging Paris Olympic quota place at Baku World Championship

Trap shooter Rajeshwari Kumari became the second Indian woman ever to win an Olympic quota place as she finished fifth in the women's trap event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship in Azerbaijan on Thursday.

At the 2012 Olympic Games, Shagun Chowdhary competed in the women's trap event.

With her previous best being 118 out of 125, Kumari improved her national record to 120, in the qualification round. The promising shotgun shooter continued her good run in the medal round to clinch the fifth place with 19 hits from the first 30 targets in the six-woman 50-shot final.

Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yi Chun won gold with 40 hits, while Italy’s Jessica Rossi, the London Olympic and three-time world champion, scored 39.

After earning the 2024 Paris Olympic quota place on Thursday, Rajeshwari said it was an amazing feeling.

“It’s unbelievable. I wish I could win a medal but this is great. I won the Paris Olympic quota place,” she said in a post-match interaction.

Rajeshwari is daughter of renowned sports administrator and Olympian in shotgun, Randhir Singh.

Interim President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Randhir Singh, said:

“It’s certainly a proud day for the family. She (Rajeshwari) has also qualified for the Hangzhou Asian Games. She carries the family legacy.”

The other Indians in the field who couldn’t make the final, included Manisha Keer, who was 23rd with 115 points, and Preeti Rajak, who shot 109 for a 58th-place finish. In the women’s team competition, the Indian team collectively finished fifth.

However, it was a disappointing day for the men's trap shooters. In a highly competitive field, the Indian male trap shooters failed to enter the medal round. The top six in the qualification advance to the final.

Prithviraj Tondaiman was the best as he shot 121 to finish 23rd. Olympian Kynan Chenai was 51st with 119 points while Zoravar Sandhu finished further down the field with 117 points.

Last year Bhowneesh Mendiratta won an Olympic quota place in the men’s trap event.