New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Double Paris Olympics bronze medallist Manu Bhaker, finished sixth in the women’s 25m pistol final, while Chain Singh finished seventh in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P), as India continued to maintain a 100% finals appearance record, in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) in Munich on Wednesday.

Manu rallied brilliantly in the second rapid-fire stage of qualification earlier in the day to make a fourth individual World Cup final this year, shooting a sublime 298/300 to finish fifth in the 94-strong field. She shot a total of 588.

Chain too maintained his excellent form this year, returning a 592 in qualification to qualify sixth in a top field. It was his second individual World Cup Final this year, after having won bronze in Buenos Aires.

The men’s 3P was the first final of the second day of competition, and the Indian could not recover from a score of 49.5 for his first five shots in the first Kneeling position, bowing out at the 40-shot mark with a tally of 407.0.

The women’s final, which followed, had both the reigning Paris pistol champions from Korea, besides two top Chinese shooters, including Sun Yujie, who had won gold medals in the event in Buenos Aires and Lima.

Manu started well and was in medal contention till the third series of five shots. However, a score of two hits in the fourth pegged her back. She fought hard, but could not finish beyond sixth, exiting after the sixth series with 20 hits to her name.

Sun completed her hat-trick with a score of 38, ahead of the two Korean champions, Oh Yejin and Yang Jiin.

India’s search for a second medal, after Elavenil Valarivan had won bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle on Day One, continues on the third with the men’s 10m air rifle and the women’s 3P finals lined up.

Other Indian scores on the day

Men’s 50m rifle 3 positions:

Swapnil Kusale – 587 (31st)

Kiran Ankush Jadhav – 580 (55th)

Women’s 25m pistol:

Esha Singh – 585 (10th)

Simranpreet Kaur Brar – 577 (29th)

Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions (Eliminations)

Ashi Chouksey – 591 (2nd- Relay 1)

Sift Kaur Samra – 584 (16th- Relay 2)

Shriyanka Sadangi – 584 (17th- Relay 2)

*All three move into qualifications after first-5 standing shots and finishes 7th with 407.0

–IANS

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