The Hindu : Sport / Shooting : Sodhi wins gold with two World records

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 19, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Shooting

Sodhi wins gold with two World records

— FILE PHOTO

Sodhi.

NEW DELHI: Ronjan Sodhi won the double trap gold in the shotgun World Cup in Belgrade by equalling two World records on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old from Punjab, who has been supported by the Mittal Champions Trust for the last two years, equalled the final World record with a 194 out of 200, after having equalled the preliminary phase World record of 147 out of 150.

“It is a great feeling. To win the gold in a World-class competition with a World record is a dream for any athlete. I am glad to have equalled two World records. Now, I keep my fingers crossed for the wild card for the Olympics,” Sodhi told The Hindu from Belgrade.

He had won a bronze in the World Cup in Santo Domingo in 2007 with a 187 out of 200.

Daniele Di Spigno of Italy had set the final record in 1999 while winning the World Championship at Tampere.

Olympic champion Richard Faulds of Britain had equalled Michael Diamond’s 10-year-old World record of 147 birds in the last World Cup in Suhl, and Sodhi had to skip that event for personal reasons.

Tremendous form

Sodhi had shown tremendous form while shooting a 145 out of 150 in the earlier World cup at Kerrville in the U.S., but a medal had eluded him then.

“I had learnt from that bad experience, and I was sure about what to do in the final this time”, said Sodhi, who was blessed with a baby boy last month.

“God has been kind in showering so much happiness on us,” he said.

Shooting with renewed energy after having spent time back home with the baby that had to endure a spell of infection, Sodhi was unstoppable in Serbia as he shot a 47 in the final after having outclassed the field with a series of 49, 48 and a perfect 50 earlier.

Sodhi, who has managed to grow out of the enormous shadow of Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, was a class act in the final and dropped his first bird after 21 shots in a gripping climax.

He ensured the World record by dropping only two more.

Sodhi went into the final with a two-point lead over Richard Faulds and emerged triumphant by retaining that margin in a strong field.

The results: Men’s double trap: 1. Ronjan Sodhi 194 (147); 2. Richard Faulds (GBR) 192 (145); 3. Hakan Dahlby (Swe) 191 (144); 24. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore 134; 35. Vikram Bhatnagar 124. MQS: Mohammed Asab 137; Vikram Chopra 131.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport