The Hindu : Gold eludes Manavjit's grasp

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003

Sport

Sport - Afro-Asian Games

Gold eludes Manavjit's grasp

By A. Joseph Antony

HYDERABAD Oct. 27. India's Manavjit Singh Sandhu narrowly missed gold in the trap event of the shooting championships at the University of Hyderabad range here on Monday. The qualifiers had thrown up a four way tie, featuring three Indians and China's Li Hui, each having a score of 117.

In the finals Zoravar made his exit and it was the trio of Hui, Manavjit and Anwar Sultan to the fore, each of them having scored 24 out of a possible 25. In a `shoot-out,' much akin to sudden death in football, Sultan was the first to miss.

It was now upto Manavjit and Hui not to miss the clay bird flying away from them at 110 kmph. Hui missed at first and here was Manavjit's golden chance. The beeper blew even for his shot.

Hui made no mistake in powdering the clay this time round, while Manavjit missed the rapidly retreating mark. Afflicted with a flu, it was a commendable show from the Indian, who took it philosophically, saying such things happened in sports. He had aimed at 73 and secured 72. One needs a lot of luck in the shoot out, he added.

Hui, 31, a silver medallist at the Busan Games, where he scored 118 and 120 in the World Cup in Shanghai, was not only relieved but joking too. The Sports Science student could well afford to and with all due credit to him, he caught the bird early and hit it cleanly too.

Manavjit seemed a shade quicker on the `kill,' smashing the saucer almost immediately after it emerged from the subterranean machine.

Olga Dovogun scored 600 out of 600 in the women's 50 metre rifle prone competition. Sadly, the Kazhak's effort will not go down in the record books since the International Shooting Sport Federation has not accorded recognition to this event.

India's Deepali Deshpande, who clinched the silver, began trying her hand at the prone rifle only last year. The gold was ruled out for her, since Olga had an unbeatable tally and the Indian settled for silver.

The results: Men:

25m centre fire pistol: 1. Nguyen Manh Tuong (Viet) 584 (stage 1: 49, 48, 50, 49, 47, 50; stage 2: 48, 47, 50, 50, 48, 48) 2. Park Byung Taek (Kor) 583 (I: 48, 49, 49, 48, 47; II: 50, 49, 48, 49, 49, 49) 3. Lee Sang Hak (Kor) 580 (I: 42, 49, 48, 49, 48, 48; II: 50, 49, 49, 48, 50, 50).

50m rifle prone: 1. Jaco Henn (SA) 694.3 (592, 10.8, 10.2, 10, 10.3, 10.3, 10.4, 9.6, 10.3, 10.2, 10.2) 2. Weiyi Wang 694.1 (10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.5, 9.8, 10.5, 10.5, 10.4, 10.1, 10.8). 3. Fred Senore (SA) 693.4 (591, 10.6, 10, 10.8, 10.1, 9.4, 10.8, 10.5, 10, 10.4, 9.8).

Trap (tie-break scores in brackets): 1. Li Hui (Chi) 141 (7), 2. Manavjit Singh Sandhu (Ind) 141 (6) 3. Anwer Sultan (Ind) 141 (4).

Women:

50m prone rifle: Olga Dovogun (Kaz) 600 (100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100) [world record] 2. Deepali Deshpande (Ind) 588 (96, 99, 98, 98, 99, 98). 3. Hyun Ah Kong (Kor) 587 (98, 99, 99, 98, 96, 96).

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