New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Divya T.S.’s creditable fourth place finish in the women’s 25m pistol and Gajanan Khandagale’s fighting fifth on her India and World Cup debut in the men’s 10m air rifle, were the highlights of India’s day at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol event at the Las Gabias Shooting range in Granada, Spain, on Thursday.

Divya shot 28 in her third individual World Cup final to finish just outside the medals, while Gajanan bowed out with an effort of 187.5 in the men’s air rifle final. Rhythm Sangwan also made the women’s 25m pistol to finish seventh.

China’s Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Xiao Jiaruixuan won gold in the event after two rounds of shoot-offs were needed to separate her from her teenage compatriot and debutant Kong Jieru. Both had tied with 39 hits after the regulation 10-series of five rapid-fire shots. Paris Olympics bronze medalist Camille Jedrzejewski edged out Divya for bronze and finished with 34 hits after the penultimate series.

Earlier, Rhythm was the stronger of the two Indians in the qualifying stage, shooting 586 for a fifth-place finish. Divya shot 585 to take the seventh qualifying spot ahead of Poland’s Agata Nowak. World Cup Finals winner Simranpreet Kaur Brar finished 30th with a 575.

Gajanan Khandagale also had a brilliant debut after he stormed into the final in second place with an effort of 634.3 in qualification, which was just 0.2 behind Paris silver medalist Victor Lindgren of Sweden.

Olympic and world champion Sheng Lihao of China, who eventually won gold, shot 633.6 to qualify in fourth. Arshdeep Singh was 21st with 629.5 while Dhanush Srikanth was 23rd with 629.2.

Gagan was one of six shooters to start the final in the 10-ring and shot valiantly in a high-class field to bow out after the 18th shot, just 0.1 behind Chinese youngster Ma Sihan, who took fourth place.

Aleksa Rakonjac of Serbia took silver and a first World Cup medal, as did Lindgen with his bronze, despite being a former world champion and an Olympic medalist.

All three Indians navigated the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) elimination relays safely as well, with Olympian and world championship medalist Anjum Moudgil best with a 592. Ayushi Podder shot 587 in the second relay, and Surabhi Bharadwaj Rapole shot 582 as 58 of the 75 made it to the main qualification round.

Friday has the women’s 3P final as the showpiece of the day, with the Indians making another attempt to add medals to their tally.

–IANS

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