Gold count goes down but shooters dominate at Commonwealth Games
1 Aug 2014 6:19 AM IST
India were hit hard at this edition of Commonwealth Games as the pair events, in which the country had won 18 medals last time, were dropped in Glasgow 2014. This time, India managed just four gold with Vijay and the experienced Heena Sidhu crashing out in the qualification stage and another Olympic medallist Gagan Narang failing to grab a yellow metal.
Narang settled for a bronze in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions in which he had won gold in both 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. He, however, had a decent show by winning a silver, his first CWG medal in the 50m rifle prone event.
It was brilliant stuff from 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra who hardly broke a sweat while winning his pet event of 10m air rifle in his last Commonwealth Games. In the final, he jumped to the top spot after the third series and then went on to accumulate points to run away with the gold. Fresh from a gold and a silver in the recent World Cup in South Korea, Jitu Rai also made a mark in his first Commonwealth Games with a flawless and easy win in the men’s 50m pistol event.
Greenhorn Apurvi Chandela and another youngster Rahi Sarnobat bagged a gold each to boost Indian medal tally. The 21-year-old Rajasthan, Apurvi, shot to glory by claiming an unexpected gold in the second year of her senior career and her first major title. India finished one-two with Ayonika Paul bagging the silver.
It was an all-Indian affair in the women’s 25m pistol event also as Rahi beat Anisa Sayyed in the gold-medal match 8-2. Rahi, 23, had lost to Anisa in the gold medal match at Delhi 2010 four years ago.
Narang settled for a bronze in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions in which he had won gold in both 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. He, however, had a decent show by winning a silver, his first CWG medal in the 50m rifle prone event.
It was brilliant stuff from 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra who hardly broke a sweat while winning his pet event of 10m air rifle in his last Commonwealth Games. In the final, he jumped to the top spot after the third series and then went on to accumulate points to run away with the gold. Fresh from a gold and a silver in the recent World Cup in South Korea, Jitu Rai also made a mark in his first Commonwealth Games with a flawless and easy win in the men’s 50m pistol event.
Greenhorn Apurvi Chandela and another youngster Rahi Sarnobat bagged a gold each to boost Indian medal tally. The 21-year-old Rajasthan, Apurvi, shot to glory by claiming an unexpected gold in the second year of her senior career and her first major title. India finished one-two with Ayonika Paul bagging the silver.
It was an all-Indian affair in the women’s 25m pistol event also as Rahi beat Anisa Sayyed in the gold-medal match 8-2. Rahi, 23, had lost to Anisa in the gold medal match at Delhi 2010 four years ago.
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