ISSF Shooting World Cup: India tops medal tally after halfway stage in Mexico

The Indian Men’s Trap team finished outside the medal rounds as Luxembourg’s Lyndon Sosa won Gold in the event, in the process also winning his tiny nation its first World Cup medal ever at the end of competition day four of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Guadalajara, Mexico.

India, though, still top the medal standings at the half-way stage of the tournament with three gold and four bronze medals, thanks to the exploits of its young Rifle and Pistol shooters on the first three days of competition.

Day five of competition on Wednesday has the Mixed Team Trap event final scheduled where India has two teams entered in the form of Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Shreyasi Singh comprising of India 1 while Kynan Chenai and Seema Tomar will make up the India 2.

In the Men’s Trap, Zoravar Singh Sandhu was the best Indian finisher shooting a score of 114 out of 125 in qualifying to end in 32nd position. Kynan Chenai shot 107 to finish 44th while Manavjit Singh Sandhu did not finish his qualifying rounds.

This has so far been India’s best ever ISSF World Cup stage performance by far and with no less than seven medal events still lined up, this could improve even further. Besides shooters like Manu Bhaker and Anjum Moudgil who have been in great form in the tournament, other talented youngsters like Anish Bhanwala in the Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol, Swapnil Kusale and Akhil Sheoran in the Men’s Rifle 3 Positions event and Angad Bajwa in the Men’s Skeet are also in the fray. Sanjeev Rajput in the Men’s Rifle 3 Positions event will also bring experience to the fore.