GLASGOW: Indian marksmen returned with a rich haul of five medals, including two gold through Rahi Sarnobat and Apurvi Chandela, from the shooting ranges to completely dominate the event so far in the 20th Commonwealth Games here today.
After Friday’s one gold and one silver, the Indians bagged two gold and three silver today to accumulate seven medals (3, 4, 0) from shooting so far.
India could not win a medal in only men’s and women’s skeet and newly introduced Queen’s Prize pairs and bagged at least a medal in all the five events held so far.
It was an all-Indian affair in the women’s 25m pistol event and Sarnobat beat Anisa Sayyed in the gold-medal match 8-2 to cap a brilliant second day of shooting competitions at the Barry Buddon Centre, near here. Australia’s Lalita Yauhleuskaya bagged the bronze medal.
Earlier, 23-year-old Sarnobat and Sayyed, 33, finished first and second in the semi-finals to set up an all-Indian final.
Sarnobat had won two gold medals in 2010 CWG in Delhi besides also becoming India’s first pistol shooter to win gold medal in World Cup, in South Korea, last year.
Sayyed had also won two gold medals in 2010 CWG.
Young Rajasthan girl Apurvi, earlier, got India its second gold from the shooting range winning the 10m Air Rifle event today as compatriot Ayonika Paul boosted the medal tally with a silver.
Prakash Najappa had got a silver in the 10m Air Pistol event. 21-year-old Chandela led from the beginning to win the yellow metal with a score of 206.7 while Ayonika finished a creditable second with a score of 204.9.
It was only fitting that the Jaipur girl, who started shooting only six years back after watching Abhinav Bindra get gold in the Beijing Olympics, won in the legendary shooter’s pet event.
With five more medals, India took their overall medals tally to 15 with five gold, seven silver and three bronze medals and were placed fifth on the medals table.
England are at top with 37 medals, including 14 golds.
Australia have 40 medals but placed second as they have 13 golds. Hosts Scotland are third with 19 medals out which eight are yellow metal. Canada also have seven gold but their total is 13 medals.
