Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
Sports

Asian Games: Heena Sidhu Wins Bronze Medal In 10M Air Pistol, Heartbreak For Manu Bhaker

Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Aug, 2018 11:16 AM

    Heena Sidhu put behind a modest qualification to win her maiden Asian Games individual medal today, her bronze in the women's 10m air pistol taking India's haul at the Jakabaring Shooting Range to nine.

     

     

    Sidhu came from behind in the finals and was just 0.1 from the lead after she produced a 10.8 on the 21st shot. Her next shot was a 9.6 and her overall score of 219.2 could only give her a bronze.

     

    Sixteen-year-old Manu Bhaker was left disappointed again, this time in her main event, finishing fifth.

     

    The gold went to China's Wang Qian, whose 240.3 was a Games Record. South Korea's Kim Minjung took the silver, aggregating 237.6.

     

    It was another medal for Sidhu in a major event, having won the gold and silver in the 25m pistol and 10m pistol at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Bhaker had finished ahead of her senior teammate Sidhu at Gold Coast in the 10m event.

     

    Sidhu, a two-time World Cup gold medallist and former world number one, had recovered well in the qualification earlier in the day to finish seventh with 571 while Manu was third with 574.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    "It is all because of my efforts in the finals (that I have won a medal). The qualification was low. I am not happy with it at all," Sidhu told PTI when asked about her effort in the high-pressure finals.

     

    "In the finals, I kept fighting from the first shot. In the beginning, the group was more on the left (of the bulls eye). I kept giving clicks to my sighter so that I could hit the bulls eye but I should have given more clicks.

     

    "In the finals you are under pressure. You are not sure that 'are you making the mistake or is it just the grouping that has shifted'. So I was trying to be very defensive. I think if I would have been more decisive and given more clicks in the beginning, I am sure I would have won the gold," said the 28-year-old from Ludhiana.

     

    Sidhu was picked for only one event and Bhaker competed in three – 10m pistol, 25m pistol and mixed team event. Ahead of the Asian Games, Sidhu had said that she should have been in the mixed team as per the selection criteria.

     
     
     
     

    "The competition is over. There is no point talking about it now. Though I think I should have been in the mixed team," she added.

     

    Heena and Manu were fifth and sixth respectively after the first series of five shots each. Bhaker made a slight surge in the second series but was still nowhere near a medal.

     
     
     
     

    After 14 shots of the 24-shot final, Heena moved to third with a 10.6 and 10.3, and was able to maintain it for bronze.

     

    Bhaker could not meet the rising expectations but would be fired up to do her best at the upcoming World Championships. Her coach Jaspal Rana said Bhaker should be given more time.

     

    "She is still very young. She needs to learn how to cope up with the pressure in big finals. The experience will come with time. You need to be mature enough to be winning medals at this level or the Olympics," Rana said.

     
     

    MORE Sports ARTICLES

    Kevin Durant To Coach Top Prospects At The NBA Academy India

    Kevin Durant To Coach Top Prospects At The NBA Academy India
    Durant will then visit The NBA Academy India in Noida, becoming the first active NBA player to visit the academy.  

    Kevin Durant To Coach Top Prospects At The NBA Academy India

    Team Japan takes the Gold at Canada Cup

    Team Japan takes the Gold at Canada Cup
    Team Australia, currently walked away with silver medals from the final against Team Japan. 

    Team Japan takes the Gold at Canada Cup

    Harmanpreet Slams 171*, Becomes 5th Highest Run-Scorer In Women's ODIs

    All-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur's belligerent century helped India post a massive 281/4 against world champions Australia in the second semi-final encounter of the Women's World Cup at the County Ground here on Thursday.

    Harmanpreet Slams 171*, Becomes 5th Highest Run-Scorer In Women's ODIs

    Asian Champion Shot-Putter Manpreet Fails Dope Test

    Asian Champion Shot-Putter Manpreet Fails Dope Test
    Kaur, who won a gold medal in the recently-concluded Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, tested positive for stimulant dimethylbutylamine.

    Asian Champion Shot-Putter Manpreet Fails Dope Test

    India's Amit Kumar Saroha Wins Silver In World Para Athletics Championships

    India's Amit Kumar Saroha Wins Silver In World Para Athletics Championships
    India's Amit Kumar Saroha clinched a silver in men's club throw F51 competition in World Para Athletics Championships on Monday.

    India's Amit Kumar Saroha Wins Silver In World Para Athletics Championships

    Ravi Shastri Named Head Coach, Zaheer Khan New Bowling Coach

    The BCCI on Tuesday named Ravi Shastri as the new chief coach of the Indian cricket team with former fast bowling great Zaheer Khan being appointed the bowling coach for a period of two years.

    Ravi Shastri Named Head Coach, Zaheer Khan New Bowling Coach