Shooters Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu on October 23 made India proud after they won their first gold medal at the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup (ISSFWC) final, clinching the top honours in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on the opening day of competitions.
Rai, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, and Sidhu, also a former Commonwealth Games gold-winner, picked up their third gold together in the mixed team event for the first time at an ISSF World Cup.
The duo shot 483.4 in the finals to finish top of the podium at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in New Delhi.
The mixed team competitions were organised as test events in the World Cups held earlier this year and will be making their Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The Indian duo shot consistently well to give the host nation a positive start in the prestigious tournament which is being held for the first time in the country.
France’s Goberville and Fouquet bagged the silver medal with 481.1, while the Chinese pair of Cai and Yang managed to claim the bronze with a score of 418.2.
Medallist in top international events, Rai will also gun for glory in the 10m free pistol and 50m pistol in the coming days.
(WITH PTI INPUTS)
