ISSF World Cup: Suruchi-Saurabh pair bags bronze; India finish at 2nd spot with 8 medals

Buenos Aires: Suruchi won her second medal of the competition while former Asian Games champion Saurabh Chaudhary bagged an ISSF medal after two years, as the pair claimed the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze after beating compatriots Manu Bhaker and Ravinder Singh 16-8 in the World Cup here.

With two Indian Olympians on either side of the competitive divide, Saurabh emerged as the most consistent of the four shooters to help seal the deal with a 10.7 in the 12th series.

Earlier, the Indian pairs had finished third and fourth respectively in qualifying behind two Chinese pairs.

Suruchi and Saurabh shot a cumulative 581 while Manu and Ravinder were behind them at 579 points. The Chinese topped with identical scores of 582.

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It was difficult to separate the Indian pairs in the initial stages of the bronze match-up as both were tied at six points apiece after the first six series of single shots fired by each shooter.

Suruchi and Saurabh then picked up momentum with three straight series wins, and despite Manu and Ravinder pulling one back, it was too little too late.

This was India’s eighth medal in the World Cup here. They have won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.