Two gold, three silver and two bronze — that’s what the ranges rewarded the Indian shooters with on Wednesday, the most productive so far in both quality and quantity as India’s Asian Games medal tally climbed to 22 on the seventh day of competition.
It also pushed India’s shooting tally to 12 medals with four days still to go. Esha Singh took silver in 25m fire pistol, Anantjeet Singh Naruka went one better than the legendary Karni Singh (bronze in 1974) as he won India’s first silver and only the second medal in skeet. Ashi Chouksey bagged a bronze in 50m 3 positions but the day belonged to Sift Kaur Samra who won the gold.
The first and the only individual gold medallist for India at the 19th Asian Games so far with a new Asian, Asian Games and World record in the process, the 22-year old was in a ‘happy’ place. “I think I can be called a ‘happy shooter’. I am not very calculative, I don’t think during competition but then again I am thinking about the process, focusing on my technique like the coaches told me,” she laughed.
Sift’s gold is the first in the Asian Games in 50m 3 positions and only the second for the Indian women in 37 years since Soma Dutta took silver in 1986, the first time when men and women competed separately. A new World Record (469.6 points), bettering the one by Britain’s Seonaid McIntosh by a massive 2.6 points, made it special.
“I actually did not know it was a world record. It feels exciting to have won gold and with a World record, especially in China. I had come for the World University Games recently so I knew what kind of noise they make and I was prepared for it. In fact, noise from the rival supporters only motivated me further,” Sift declared.
Ashi had a roller-coaster final and came within a shot of silver before faltering on the last attempt.
“Yes I was very nervous going into the last shot and missed my temperament, I don’t know what I was feeling or thinking and I missed my timing. So I took a break and when I picked up the rifle again, only 3-4 seconds were left so I just pressed the trigger. But I am not disappointed, I am very proud to get an individual medal on such a platform,” said Ashi.
If the rifles boomed with medals, the pistol girls were not to be left behind as the 25m team clinched gold and Esha Singh took home a silver too. At 19, the baby of the team, Esha has enough experience, having started at the age of nine when her father Sachin took her to the Gun For Glory academy. With her father and mentor Gagan Narang cheering from the stands, Esha shot a series of steady rounds to stay in medal contention right through.
“It feels surreal, to be honest, winning two medals in my first Asian Games, it’s not something I had expected. I am fortunate to come from a family that is into sports and grateful to have a father who understands it,” Esha said.
For skeet shooter Anantjeet, who also combined with Angad vir Singh Bajwa and Gurjoat Singh Khangura for a skeet team bronze, the medal was yet to sink in. “It feels amazing, it’s unreal. It’s one of my best days of shooting and the experience was amazing. It was superb and actually fun. I was breaking the target and slowly I was like, ‘OK, maybe I can win one medal and maybe I can win another (in the team event)’”said Anantjeet.
Wednesday’s podium finishers
Gold: Manu, Esha and Rhythm (women’s 25m pistol team); Sift Kaur (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions).
Silver: Esha (women’s 25m pistol); Sift, Ashi, Manini (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team); Anantjeet (men’s skeet).
Bronze: Ashi (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions); Angad Vir, Gurjoat, Anantjeet (men’s skeet team).
