Asian Games medallist shooter Chain Singh earned India its first medal in the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, winning a bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3-positions event in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Hungarian Istvan Peni won gold (461.0), his seventh ISSF top-podium finish, while China’s Tian Jiaming (458.8) bagged the silver, as Chain notched up 443.7 points to settle for bronze. Earlier, two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar and Rio Olympian Chain had qualified for the final. Aishwary qualified second ahead of the experienced Chain in third. Both shot identical scores of 589, with Chain giving up a spot, on accuracy. Niraj was fifth with 587.

In the final, Niraj started strongly and was placed second after the first-five shots in the ‘Kneeling’ position. But he soon faded away as Tomar and Chain picked up.

The Indian duo, which was fifth and sixth after the first ‘Kneeling’ position, moved up to third and fourth spots after a superb effort in the ‘Prone’ round. They held firm in the final ‘Standing’ position as Chain went on ensure a medal for India.

Tomar lost out on a medal after a 7.8 for his 41st shot, even as Peni and Tian were fighting solo battles for gold and silver respectively.

This was Chain’s first ISSF medal in three years.

Manu, Simranpreet start well

In women’s 25m pistol qualifiers, double Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker returned a score of 291/300 to lie fourth after the ‘Precision’ round. Compatriot Simranpreet Kaur Brar was also in qualifying position, shooting 290 to be placed sixth.

Esha Singh shot 285 to be a bit off the pace at 12th.

Olympian skeet shooter Raiza Dhillon shot 71 after three rounds to lie seventh, just two off the lead.

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