ISSF Shotgun World Cup: India finish in third position thanks to Ankur Mittal's heroics

New Delhi: India finished the ISSF Shotgun World Cup on third position even as the skeet shooters endured a shoot-off heartbreak in the men’s event in Acapulco, Mexico. India finished third in the standings owing to Ankur Mittal’s gold medal in men’s double trap.

On the concluding day of the competitions, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Man Singh were involved in a six-way shoot-off for the sixth and final qualifying spot of the men’s skeet final.

[caption id=“attachment_3306414” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] India’s Ankur Mittal during his double trap event at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi where he had won silver.[/caption] India’s Ankur Mittal won a gold medal in men’s double trap event. While Man Singh was the first to be eliminated, young Angad fought till the end before missing his 12th target, to enable Chinese first-time World Cupper Antao Wan a shot at the gold. In securing seventh spot, the 21-year-old Angad, who has been competing at the senior level for just over a year now, registered his best World Cup finish in his fourth appearance. He also shot his highest score of 118 out of 125 at this level. In the first combined World Cup stage in New Delhi earlier this year, Angad had won the mixed skeet team gold, which was conducted as a test event. The 28-year-old Man Singh, an Asian Championships gold medal winner, also shot 118. He has had two World Cup top 10s in the last two years and this 11th place should boost his confidence further. The third Indian in the fray, Amrinder Cheema finished 42nd with a qualifying round score of 109. Italian Marco Sablone won the gold in the event with a final round score of 55, while USA’s Frank Thompson won the silver, shooting 53. Australia’s Paul Adams won his second consecutive World Cup bronze of the year. USA finished on top of the medal’s tally with two gold and two silver from the five events. Spain followed with one gold and one silver. The World Cup series next travels to Larnaca, Cyprus, where the third shotgun stage is scheduled from 28 April to 8 May.