ISSF Shotgun World Cup: India signs off with silver in women’s team trap
The Indian team engineered a comeback in the final but fell short in the last round, allowing Russia to take the gold.
The Indian women’s trap team of Rajeshwari Kumari, Kirti Gupta and Manisha Keer won the silver at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Cairo, Egypt on Thursday.
This is India’s second medal in the event after the men’s skeet team had won bronze earlier.
The three-woman Indian team shot 444 in the qualification rounds with the in-form Manisha Keer – who recorded a Shotgun World Cup-best seventh-place finish in the individual event – shooting a team-high 158.
The effort meant that they qualified for the gold medal match behind Russia, who shot a team total of 463 in the qualifying rounds at the Egyptian Shooting Club.
In the final, Russia – represented by Ekaterina Subbotina, Daria Semianova and Iuliia Saveleva - held a 4-0 lead at one point and looked set to canter to the gold medal.
However, Manisha Keer, Kirti Gupta and Rajeshwari Kumari launched a remarkable comeback to tie the final at 4-4.
In the last 15-shot per team series though, Russia outshot India to win the final 6-4 and take home the gold medal.
The Indian men’s trap team – comprising Olympian Kynan Chenai, Asian Games silver-medallist Lakshay Sheoran and Prithviraj Tondaiman – finished in sixth place with a combined score of 469.
Lead photo: Rajeshwari Kumari at RiaKumari7/ Twitter