Shooting: Sift, Niraj, win first Olympic Selection Trials in 3P

Asian Games champion and world record holder Sift Kaur Samra, emerged victorious in the first women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) Olympic Selection Trial (OST T1) while Niraj Kumar outgunned his four rivals in the men’s event, as the on-going OSTs 1 & 2 at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range here, entered their sixth day on Wednesday.

Sift was up against in-form Ashi Choksey, the qualification topper by a distance, leading after the first 15 Kneeling position shots. She then recovered brilliantly to absolutely blaze through the Prone position and by the end of it, she had not only wiped out the deficit, but in-turn taken a lead of 2.4 over her nearest rival. In the end, her 466.3 was a healthy 3.7 above Ashi’s tally.

Olympian Anjum Moudgil took the final podium point with a third (449.2) place finish. Nishchal (433.6) and Paris quota holder Shriyanka Sadangi (416.7) had to be satisfied with fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

The men’s 3P continued the trend of surprises that seem to be now coming thick and fast in the OSTs.

Niraj Kumar, another in-form shooter who recently had a brilliant exposure tour of Europe, turned the tables on some favourites en route to taking the win, with a final score of 462.2.

Quota holder and qualification topper Swapnil Kusale came in second, while Aishwary Tomar was third. Chain Singh and Akhil Sheoran were the wooden spooners in the final.

Day six also saw the qualification rounds of the 10m Air Rifle and Pistol men’s and women’s competitions taking place.

Sandeep Singh with a sizzling 634.4 and Tilottama Sen with a 632.4, took top spots in the men’s and women’s 10m Air Rifle, respectively.

Varun Tomar (583) and Rhythm Sangwan (578) on the other hand, finished on top of the men’s and women’s 10m Air Pistol qualification round.

The T1 finals of the Air Rifle and Pistol OST are scheduled on Thursday.