Shooting at Paris Olympics 2024, Day 1 Highlights: Manu Bhaker shines on the big stage, ranks third and qualifies for the final; Sarabjot Singh narrowly misses out

Shooting at Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker impresses with a score of 580-27x and ranks third in the qualifying rounds of the Women's 10m Air Pistol shooting. Sarabjot Singh narrowly misses out in the Men's 10m Air Pistol shooting. Follow Sportskeeda for shooting at Paris Olympics 2024

The final of the Women's 10m Air Pistol will take place tomorrow afternoon. For now, that's all for the shooting contingent team in Paris and myself behind the screen. Thank you for joining our shooting coverage at Sportskeeda! To keep up with all the sporting action coming up later today, just hop on to our Live Blog of the Olympics 2024. Ciao!

So, after a thoroughly impressive outing in the qualifications, Manu Bhaker will have the opportunity to bag India's first gold medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol shooting category tomorrow. The rest of the shooters in action today gave it their all but it wasn't meant to be. One must spare a thought for Sarabjot Singh, who missed out on his qualification by a single inner ring point.

Manu Bhaker makes it to the final!

With scores of 97-97-98-96-96-96 and a total of 580-27x, Manu Bhaker ranks third and qualifies for the finals! She was in cruise control throughout and kept his composure to make sure she gives herself and her country a chance to bag a medal tomorrow. Unfortunately, that's not the case for Rhythm Sangwan, who totals a score of 573-14x and finishes 15th.

After shooting an 8 in her fifth series, Manu Bhaker has managed to recover swiftly and end the series with 96 points. That little error does cost her a spot as she drops down to 4th. Rhythm Sangwan scores 96 in her fifth set and trails in 18th place.

96 for Manu Bhaker in the fourth series as she holds onto 3rd place for now. With 97-97-98-96, her total stands at 398-18x. With a couple of series to go, she'll feel that she has already done enough to get into the next round. Can't get too complacent though.

Rhythm Sangwan musters 96 in her fourth series, moving into 16th position. She needs a strong finish in the next couple of series to stand a chance for qualification.

Another convincing series for Manu Bhaker, scoring 98 in her third series. She's ranked at 3 for the moment and is showing why she's regarded as one of the very best in the world. Rhythm Sangwan completes her third series of shots, scoring 97 and moving up to 18th in the rankings. That's the type of comeback she would have been looking for after taking a short break in the second series. Still a long way to go, of course.

At the end of the second series, Manu Bhaker holds onto the 4th spot after having scored 97 points. Her total score is 194-11x, which holds her in good stead for now. She's got off to a brisk start in the third series as well, scoring 48 after five shots. Rhythm Sangwan, on the other hand, is yet to complete her second series and has dropped down to 22nd. She finally does complete her second series, scoring 92.

Halfway through the second series, Rhythm Sangwan has 46 points, ranking 14th. Manu Bhaker stays in 4th place after shooting 49 at the same stage.

Both Indian shooters matching each other stride for stride at the moment. Rhythm Sangwan has scored 97-2x and that is bettered by Manu Bhaker, who has shot 97-6x, earning them a 7th and 4th rank respectively, after the first series.

It's a strong start for the Indian contingent with both Manu Bhaker and Rhythm Sangwan scoring 49 in their first five shots. It's still early days but they're ranked 3rd and 5th at the moment.

Alright then. We're all set for the final shooting event of the day. The qualifications for the Women's 10m Air Pistol category. After disappointing performances in the mixed team and men's category, it'll be Manu Bhaker and Rhythm Sangwan who will be looking to make it to the top 8 in their category. Quick reminder that the women's final will take place tomorrow.

All eyes will Manu Bhaker as looks to make her mark on the big stage. Having won multiple medals at the World Cups and a gold at the Youth Olympics helped her rise to fame as a teenager. Now, she'll be looking to repeat that feat in Paris. Here's all you need to know about the young pistol shooter from Jhajjar 👇

Who is Manu Bhaker? All you need to know about the young pistol shooter competing at Paris Olympics 2024

Sarabjot misses out by a whisker!

It's going to be a tough pill to swallow for Sarabjot Singh after missing out on the qualifications. He didn't have the best of starts but managed to buck up and how, making a solid comeback to give himself a chance. On the other hand, Arjun Cheema had a solid start before dropping a 7, which really seemed to derail his focus. They finish 9th and 18th respectively. So, that's it from the Men's 10m Air Pistol event. Up next, it'll be Manu Bhaker and Rhythm Sangwan in the Women's 10m Air Pistol category, which is scheduled to begin at 4 PM IST.

It's a gut-wrenching end for Sarabjot Singh. He managed to end his final set with a hat-trick of 10's, scoring 577-16x. However, he narrowly misses out to Germany's Walter Robin who scored 577-17x.

Sarabjot Singh has 48 points after five shots in the final set. Ranked 12th right now and he needs to end this set well to stand a chance. Whereas, Arjun Cheema scores 97 in his final set and ends with a score of 572-17x, earning a ranking of 18th.

Sarabjot Singh also scores 93 at the end of his fifth set. That's not good enough for him to hold onto a position in the top 8 though as he drops down to 12th. A strong finish could still propel him to the next round though. Tense moments, these.

Arjun Cheema is ranked 21st after his fifth series, scoring 93. That might be that for him really. Sarabjot Singh is still in the thick of the battle though and he'll be desperate to make sure he finishes in the top 8.

A couple of 8s in the fifth series for Arjun Cheema. That will really hurt his chances. Sarabjot Singh is currently at 7th place with 57 points halfway through the fifth series.

China bag their first gold!

Meanwhile, China win the first gold medal of Paris Olympics 2024. They have beaten South Korea in the gold medal match of 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event.

A change in fortunes for both the Indian shooters. Sarabjot Singh jumps up to third place with a perfect 100 in the fourth series. That will be a huge relief for him. Unfortunately, Arjun Cheema drops down to 14th with a score of 94.

Arjun Cheema drops down the rankings after a poor showing in the fourth series. He's ranked 15th currently with 46 points after five shots in the fourth series. Sarabjob Singh is climbing up the ranks though, currently placed at 8th with 50 points halfway through the fourth series.

Unfortunate turn of events! A 7 shot by Arjun Cheema as his second shot in series 4. Oh dear, that might hurt his chances

Sarabjot Singh ends his third series with a score of 96 and a total of 287. It's another ordinary set for him, ranking at the 16th position currently. Arjun Cheema scores 97 in his third set and currently ranks in 4th position. Meanwhile, Dikec Yusuf of Turkey who managed a perfect 100 in his third series, courtesy of which he sits in second place.

Arjun Cheema has got off to the perfect start in the third series, scoring 50 halfway through it. He's currently ranking in 4th position. Sarabjot Singh, meanwhile, has 48 points in the third series so far and ranks 17th.

It's a strong end to the second series for Arjun Cheema, breaking into the top 10. He's currently ranked 10th with a score of 97 in the second series and a total of 193. Meanwhile, Sarabjot Singh moves up the ranks too with a score of 97 in the series.

Arjun Cheema has 47 points halfway through his second series. Sarabjot Singh bucking up with a solid 49 at the same stage.

He comes from a family with sporting pedigree, and after an initial stint in swimming, Arjun Cheema fell in love with shooting. How has his journey been? Click on the link below to find out! 👇

Who is Arjun Cheema? All you need to know about the Indian shooter taking part in Paris 2024 Olympics

Both shooters are averaging under 9.500 here, not a great sign for them. After a strong start, they have certainly lost some momentum

At the end of the first series, Arjun Cheema has scored 96 points and is ranked 12. Sarabjot Singh is ranked 28 with a score of 94. Not much separating the two right now but both of them will need to push on a little bit to make sure they get through to the next round.

The Indian shooters are taking their time in the middle. They are still in their first series while a few other shooters are well into their second series of shots.

Halfway through the first series, Arjun Singh Cheema is ranked second, shooting 10's four out of five times, scoring 58. It's a strong start from the sharp shooter from Punjab. Sarabjot SIngh is 17th with 48 points.

And we are underway! Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Cheema both find the inner circle, which awards them with 1x each in their first shots!

Right then. We're moments away from the Men's 10m Air Pistol category where Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Cheema are representing India. The top 8 shooters will qualify for the next round.

As we wait for the next set of events, here's some information on Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh who will be taking part in the 10m air rifle event that's coming up next 👇🏻

Who is Sarabjot Singh? All you need to know about the Indian pistol shooter competing at the Paris Olympics 2024

The next event for shooting is at 2:00 PM IST, with Arjun Cheema and Sarabjot Singh in action at the Men's 10m Air Pistol Qualifications, stay tuned right here at Sportskeeda for that!

Right then. It's heartbreak for Arjun Babuta and Ramita, who started so well and missed the final 4 by the barest of margins (1.0). Their total score of 628.7 was bettered by Norway 1 (629.6) and Germany (629.7). On the other hand, Sandeep Singh and Elavenil Valarivan finished in 12th place with a score of 626.6. Fine margins in this sport, of course. That's just the nature of it. Sadly for India, they won't be participating in a medal match in this category. It'll be China against Korea in the Gold medal match, while Kazakhastan take on Germany in the Bronze medal match.

Results:

India 1:
Rank: 12
Total: 626.3

Elavenil Valvarian: 103.4, 104.7, 104,5 ; Total - 312.6
Sandeep Singh: 104.1, 105.3, 104.3 ; Total 313.7

India 2:
Rank: 6
Tital 628.7

Ramita: 104.6, 104.4, 105.5 ; Total 314.5
Arjun Babuta: 104.1, 106.2, 103.9 ; Total 314.2

Unfortunate news for India. Ramita and Arjun Babuta have narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing in 6th place. The pair of Elavenil Valvarian and Sandeep Singh finished in 12th place.

At the end of Series 3:

India 2:
Rank: 6
Total: 209.4

Ramita - 10.3, 10.8, 10.7, 10.7, 10.7, 10.5, 10.7, 10.6, 10.3, 10.2 ; Total - 105.5
Arjun Babuta - 10.5, 10.6, 10.5, 10.9, 10.6, 10.5, 10.3, 10.8, 10.7, 10.8 ; Total - 103.9

India 1:
Rank: 12
Total: 208.8

Elavenil Valvarian - 10.4, 10.4, 10.3, 10.1, 10.4, 10.6, 10.4, 10.8, 10.4, 10.4 ; Total - 104.5
Sandeep Singh - 10.4, 10.5, 10.5, 10.3, 10.9, 10.5, 10.5, 10.2, 10.8, 10.7 ; Total -104.3

At the end of Series 2:

India 2:
Rank: 8
Total: 210.6

Ramita - 10.2, 10.7, 10.3, 10.1, 10.4, 10.7, 10.2, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7 ; Total - 104.4
Arjun Babuta - 10.5, 10.6, 10.5, 10.9, 10.6, 10.5, 10.3, 10.8, 10.7, 10.8 ; Total - 106.2

India 1:
Rank: 14
Total: 210

Elavenil Valvarian - 10.6, 10.3, 10.4, 10.7, 10.5, 10.5, 10.2, 10.7, 10.5, 10.3 ; Total - 104.7
Sandeep Singh - 10.5, 10.5, 10.8, 10.5, 10.7, 10.2, 10.5, 10.2, 10.7, 10.7 ; Total -105.3

At the end of Series 1:

India 2:
Total: 208.7

Ramita - 10.5, 10.6, 10.4, 10.1, 10.8, 10.2, 10.6, 10.7, 10.4, 10.3 ; Total - 104.6
Arjun Babuta - 10.3, 10.1, 10.5, 10.3, 10.7, 10.3, 10.7, 10.5, 10.0, 10.7 ; Total - 104.1

India 1:
Total: 207.5

Elavenil Valvarian - 10.5, 10.7, 10.2, 10.2, 9.9, 10.4, 10.4, 10.4, 10.4, 10.5, 10.2 ; Total - 103.4
Sandeep Singh - 10.8, 10.4, 10.1, 10.2, 10.4, 10.4, 10.4, 10.9, 10.5, 10.0 ; Total -104.1

Right then, the first series is underway. After five shots, halfway through series one, India's first pair of Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal are in 10th place. The pair of Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan are in 25th place with a score of 124.2.

Our team at Sportskeeda is going to be doing their bit to make sure our audience gets the kind of coverage they deserve and we'll be doing our best to do justice to the effort the athletes put in on the field. Here's an insightful piece, talking about the Indian shooting contingent and the kind of process that went into their preparation for these games 👇🏻

SWOT analysis of Indian shooting team for Paris Olympics 2024

So, here it is. The moment we’ve all been eagerly waiting for - the Paris 2024 Olympics. Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda’s live coverage of the It’s going to be the Indian athletes taking centre stage today and our focus this afternoon will be on the shooting contingent. There’s plenty of events lined up throughout the day to keep you glued to your screens. So, sit back and relax as well provide you with all the updates from the Châteauroux Shooting Centre.

To kick things off, it’ll be the 10m Air Rifle category where Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal will participate in as a team. The top 4 teams will progress to the next set of rounds - the medal matches later in the day. The nations that rank 1 and 2 will play each other for the ultimate prize, while 3 and 4 will compete for the Bronze medal later in the day.

The qualification criteria will remain the same across all categories. After the mixed team category, the focus will shift to the men’s category where Arjun Singh Cheema and Sarabjot Singh will be carrying India’s hopes and expectations. To end the day, it’ll be the women’s category with all eyes on a certain Manu Bhaker, alongside Rhythm Sangwan in 10m air pistol women's qualification.

The first category is scheduled for 12:30 PM IST and that’s not too far away. To take you through everything that unravels in the next few hours, it’ll be myself (Pratyush Rohra). As we get set for the first event, did you know, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 are taking place exactly 100 years since Paris hosted the Olympics back in 1924. The city joins London as the only cities to host the Olympics three times.