CWG 2014: Harpreet, Narang, Lajja all win as shooters bring home five more medals

Trigger happy Indian shooters had a gala outing at the Commonwealth Games here Tuesday as they brought in five more medals – two silvers and three bronzes – from their respective events with the gold remaining elusive. While Harpreet Singh and Sanjeev Rajput clinched silvers in the men’s 25 metre rapid fire pistol and men’s 50m rifle 3 positions events, Manavjit Sandhu (men’s trap), Gagan Narang (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions) and Lajja Gauswami (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions) brought in the bronzes. In total, Indian shooters have accounted for four golds, nine silvers and four bronzes from the Glasgow Games. [caption id=“attachment_1640357” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  In total, Indian shooters have accounted for four golds, nine silvers and four bronzes from the Glasgow Games. AP[/caption] Harpreet opened the country’s medal count Tuesday by clinching the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol silver. Australian David Chapman won the gold in style, setting a new Finals Games Record (FGR) with a score of 23 while Harpreet took the silver with 21. England’s Kristian Callaghan clinched the bronze with 17 at the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre. Chapman and Harpreet were level at 19 points in the seventh and penultimate round but the 49-year-old Australian shot a series score of 4 in the last round to the Indian’s 2, which gave him the yellow metal. This is Harpreet’s third medal at the Commonwealth Games. The 33-year-old Karnal-born had also won two golds in the 2010 Delhi Games in 25m centre fire pistol – in pairs and individual events. However, earlier Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar failed to qualify for the finals in the same category. In qualification, Harpreet finished fourth with a total score of 281 points while Vijay could only manage 274 to end his campaign in eighth as only the top-6 qualified. Soon after, former World Champion Sandhu clinched the men’s trap bronze by defeating Australia’s two-time Olympic champion Michael Diamond in the bronze medal playoff. The 37-year-old Sandhu, a former World No.1, beat five-time CWG gold medallist Diamond in a shoot-off after both were tied at 11 points each in the playoff, clinching India’s second medal Tuesday. Diamond’s compatriot Adam Vella beat England’s Aaron Heading in the gold medal contest, bagging 11 points to Heading’s 9. Earlier, Mansher Singh was ousted from the semi-finals as he finished sixth and last out of all the competitors. Sandhu finished third, thus qualifying for the playoff. The medal rush continued when Rajput and Narang clinched the silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions final. England’s Daniel Rivers won the gold in fantastic fashion with a new Finals Games Record (FGR) at 452.9 points. This is River’s second medal at the 2014 Games after taking home the bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle event. Rajput and Narang finished with scores of 446.9 and 436.8 points, respectively. This is Narang’s 10th medal in the Commonwealth Games and his first bronze. The 31-year-old won four golds in 2006 Melbourne, four more golds in 2010 at home in Delhi and the men’s 50m rifle prone silver Monday. To cap it up, Lajja Gauswami scalped the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions bronze. Singapore’s Jasmine Ser won the gold with a new Finals Games Record (FGR) at 449.1 points. Scottish Jen McIntosh claimed the silver with 446.6 while Lajja ended with 436.1. IANS