Bilkul Sateek News
New Delhi. Olympian Arjun Babuta and Arya Rajesh Borse, put up a brilliant display of accurate air rifle shooting, to dominate China’s world record holder pairing of Sheng Lihao, also the reigning Olympic and World champion in the event, and Wang Zifei, nailing the 10m air rifle mixed team gold with a score line of 17-7. This was India’s second gold of the Munich International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup (Rifle/Pistol), in addition to two bronze medals won earlier.
Taking aim on the concluding day of the Munich World Cup Arjun (317.7) and Arya (317.5) shot a combined 635.2 to finish second behind Sheng and Wang, who topped the 58-team field with a world record (also junior) score of 635.9.
In the final, Arya began with a 9.8 to give the Chinese pair an early lead (0-2), but thereafter for the next seven series of single shots, the Indians shot only one shot below 10.5 (a 10.2) to take a huge 13-3 lead after the eighth series.
The top Chinese pair then managed to win the next two narrowly in the race to 16, but normal service resumed from the 11th series, as Arya and Arjun fired a couple of 10.5 and 10.7s respectively to get to match point.
In the final 12th series, while Arjun cancelled out Sheng with identical 10.1s, Arya outgunned Wang 10.6-10.4, to give India a memorable win.
The second Indian pair in the event, Elavenil Valarivan and Kiran Ankush Jadhav, also shot well in the first qualification relay, tallying 631.8, to finish sixth overall.
