Bhavtegh shoots silver as Junior World Cup concludes in Porpetto

New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) Bhavtegh Singh Gill won silver in the men’s skeet event to give India its second medal of the competition, as curtains came down on the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Porpetto, Italy, on Monday.

The Indian youngster, a silver winner at the Junior Asian Championships last year, shot 52 in the six-man final, to finish behind gold-winning American Benjamin Keller, who shot 56 out of the 60 allotted clay targets.

Bhavtegh’s effort added to the bronze won by Sabeera Haris in the junior women’s trap earlier, enabling India to finish third behind powerhouses USA and Italy in the medal standings, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) informed in a release on Monday.

Shooting his final two rounds of qualification to begin the day, Bhavtegh made the top six in fifth position with a score of 121. American Jordan Sapp, who won bronze eventually, topped the field with a perfect 125, equalling the junior world record. Italian Antonio La Volpe won a 15-shot four-way shoot-off to clinch the sixth and final spot after shooting 120.

Frenchman Dorian Richard and La Volpe were the least accurate in the initial stages of the final, missing five and seven targets each in the first round comprising 20 targets.

Bhavtegh was joint second at this stage along with Sapp and Lithuanian Tomas Vaitekunas, all having missed three targets each. Keller meanwhile took the early lead, shooting down all 20.

He then had a perfect round of 20 of his own to not only catch up with Keller, who missed three in this round but also assure himself of a medal as Sapp went down to the bronze position. The Indian then did well to hold on to silver, as Keller finished strongest to bag gold.

Zoravar Bedi (115) and Munek Battula (113), two other Indians in the junior men’s skeet were further down the standings in the 26th and 33rd spots respectively.

Sanjana Sood with a 114 was the best Indian in the junior women’s skeet finishing 10th overall. Compatriots Vanshika Tiwari (112) was 13th while Zahra Deesawala (101) finished 36th overall.

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