Raiza Dhillon, Naruka secure India’s 18th and 19th Paris Olympics quota in shooting

Raiza Dhillon and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka secured two more Paris Games quota for India to stretch the total number to 19, by winning silver medals in their respective skeet events at the Asia Olympic Qualification for Shotgun in Kuwait City on Saturday. Dhillon earned the country’s 18th quota place by claiming the silver in the women’s skeet before Naruka finished second on the podium in the men’s skeet final with a total of 56, missing the gold by one point to Taipei’s Meng Yuan Lee (57). Mohammad Aldaihani won the bronze and the second quota on offer in the men’s final by shooting 47. Dhillon, 19, looked to be on top of her game and led the six-women final till it reached the halfway stage, following which the Indian missed two-three targets to cede ground to China’s Jinmei Gao, who won the gold medal by shooting 56 targets in the 60-shot final. Dhillon finished second with 52 hits. Both Gao and Dhillon secured a Paris Games quota each for their respective country. Dhillon’s compatriot Maheshwari Chauhan settled for the bronze with 43, while Ganemat Sekhon, the other Indian shooter in the final, ended in fourth position with 30. To begin with, Dhillon was on top of the table with six out of six targets. The Indian continued to lead the final with 14 hits, remaining two ahead of Gao. However, in what was turning out to be an engrossing final, Dhillon then missed two targets as Gao went in lead for the first time in the competition. Dhillon missed again in the next outing as the Chinese maintained her lead to leave the two Indians — Dhillon and Chauhan — to fight for the silver medal. Dhillon prevailed to enter the fight for the gold medal, as Chauhan left her station with bronze. Dhillon missed twice at the start of gold medal contest, as Gao led by three points to seal the issue in her favour. Earlier, Sekhon was second in the qualification with a total score of 117, Chauhan was placed third with 115 after prevailing in shoot-off with Qatar’s Al Sharshani Reem, while Dhillon qualified for the final in sixth place, completing the top six lineup. Naruka was second in the qualification with a total of 121, finishing behind China’s Ma Chenglong (122) and ahead of Taipei’s Meng Yuan Lee (121). Other Indian shooters in the men’s skeet, Munek Battule and Gurjoat Khangura finished 18th and 21st in the qualification.