New Delhi [India], October 17 (ANI): After securing the silver medal in trap shooting at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final on Thursday, shooter Vivaan Kapoor expressed his aim to clinch gold at the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles.
“There were a lot of Olympic champions here today, but I didn’t let that affect me… I was just focused on doing my job. I didn’t even check the score. I told myself to just focus on the task and ignore the score. My next goal is to train for LA 2028 and win the gold,” Vivaan told ANI.
In the final, Vivaan finished in second place with a score of 44 in trap shooting, while China’s QI Ying took the top spot with 47 points. Turkey’s N Tolga Tuncer claimed third with 35 points.
Shooter Anant Jeet Singh Naruka also earned a bronze medal in the skeet shooting event with a score of 43. Italy’s Tammaro Cassandro (57) and Gabriele Rossetti (56) took the first and second positions, respectively.
On Wednesday, Akhil Sheoran won bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P), his first World Cup Final medal, while Ganemat Sekhon set a new national record in women’s skeet, amidst European dominance on day two of the ongoing ISSF World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in New Delhi 2024, being held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (DKSSR).
India now has a total of four medals in the World Cup Final, with two silver and two bronze.
A seasoned professional with ISSF medals at every level, Sheoran had only the World Cup Final missing from his achievements, which he secured in style at the DKSSR. He staged a familiar comeback in the final standing position from mid-table to the delight of the home fans.
Earlier in the day, Sheoran had shot a solid 589 to qualify in sixth position for the eight-man final, with senior compatriot Chain Singh placing fourth with a score of 590 in the 12-man field.
Both Indians were placed in the sixth and seventh spots after the first 15 shots in the kneeling position during the 45-shot final. However, Akhil made his move during the prone position, rising to joint third alongside eventual silver medallist Jiri Privratsky of Czechia.
Sonam Uttam Maskar, a double silver medallist at the Cairo World Cup earlier this year, secured another silver on the first day of the ISSF World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun 2024. It was her first medal at this level, and India’s first of the competition. China’s Paris Olympic gold medallist Huang Yuting won gold with a world and junior world record score of 254.5, edging out Sonam by 1.6 points. (ANI)
