Munich, June 12 (IANS) Indian shooting sensation Sift Kaur Samra added yet another accolade to her growing list of international achievements, securing a bronze medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup (rifle/pistol) here on Thursday.

Competing in a strong international field, the 23-year-old from Faridkot, Punjab, scored 453.1 in the final to finish third, reaffirming her place among the elite rifle shooters in the world.

The gold went to Norway’s Jeanette Hegg Duestad, who shot a sensational 466.9 in the final, while Switzerland’s Emely Jaeggi won silver with 464.8.

Interestingly, Jaeggi, who initially placed ninth in the qualification round with a score of 590, only made it to the final after two shooters above her were declared ineligible for medals due to their “ranking points only” (RPO) status.

Samra, meanwhile, had a solid outing in the qualifying rounds, finishing second with an aggregate of 592 across the three positions – kneeling, prone, and standing. She was tied on the score with France’s Agathe Cecile Camille Girard, who topped the chart by virtue of more inner 10s (Xs). Switzerland’s Audrey Gogniat followed them in third place, heading into the final.

This bronze adds to what has been a remarkable year for Samra so far. She began the 2025 season with a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, a vital boost after a challenging 2024 Paris Olympics, where she had a below-par outing.

Already a history-maker, Samra still holds the world record in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions – a stunning 469.6 – which she set during her gold-medal winning performance at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Among other Indian shooters in the event, Ashi Chouksey narrowly missed out on making the final, finishing 11th with a score of 589. Veteran Anjum Moudgil, a regular member of India’s rifle squad, ended 27th with 586, while Shriyanka Sadangi and Nischal finished 53rd and 60th respectively.

–IANS

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