India unfurls victory flag at ISSF Shooting World Cup by bagging gold medal

Guadalajara, March 11: India unfurled its flag of victory in men’s 50m Rifle 3-Position at ISSF Shooting World Cup at Guadalajara in Mexico. Indian shooter Akhil Sheoran clinched gold medal making history in this sport. India now tops the medal tally with a total of nine medals.

In his first-ever World Cup participation, indeed, 22-year-old Akhil Sheoran climbed on top of the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions podium, adding his name to the ones of Shahzar Rizvi, Manu Bhaker and Om Prakash Mitharval: the other Indian gold medalists in Guadalajara. Akhil shot 455.6 in the final to leave behind Austria's Bernhard Pickl in second place with 452.

 

Hungarian Istvan Peni got 442.3 points in total to take the bronze medal. This was India’s fourth gold medal after Manu Bhaker, Om Prakash Mitharval and Shahzar Rizvi, bagged the yellow metal in the competition so far.

The third Indian shooter of the final — 22-year-old first-time participant Swapnil Kusale — finished in 7th position with 407.2 points, while France’s 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Alexis Raynaud followed in 7th with 397.7.

 

International Shooting Sports Federation World Cup Stage 1 will conclude today with the Skeet Men final.