CWG shooting: Indians continue to dominate at Karni Singh Range (Night Intro)

NEW DELHI - Indian shooters continued their domination of the Karni Singh ranges by winning three gold, a silver and a bronze at the Commonwealth Games here Friday.

Gagan Narang and Imran Hasan Khan won the eighth shooting gold for India, in the 50 metres rifle three position pairs event, while armyman Vijay Kumar added the ninth by winning the men’s 25 metre rapid fire pistol event in the afternoon session.

In the evening, navyman Omkar Singh won the gold in the men’s 10 metres air pistol event while the silver came from Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Mansher Singh from the men’s trap pairs’ event. Another armyman, Gurpreet Singh won the bronze in the 25 metre rapid fire pistol event.

In the men’s 50 metre three position pairs, Gagan, the world No.3, shot a total of 1,167 (prone 397, standing 385, kneeling 385) while Imran had a total of 1,158 (prone 395, standing 381, kneeling 382) as India won the gold with a total of 2,325. The earlier Games record of 2,300 was held by Canadian duo Michael Dion and Wayne Sorensen at the Victoria Games in 1994.

England and Scotland were tied for the second place with 2,308 points but the former won the silver on the basis of 105 perfect 10s while Scotland had to settle for the bronze with 104 perfect 10s.

England duo James Huckle and Kenny Parr shot a total of 2,308. Huckle shot 1,158 (prone 391, standing 383, kneeling 384) while Parr had a total of 1,150 (prone 391, standing 375, kneeling 384). Scotland’s Jonathan Hammond totalled 1,160 (prone 398, standing 371, kneeling 391) while Neil Stirton shot 1148 (prone 395, standing 372, kneeling 381).

In the men’s 25 metre rapid fire pistol, Vijay broke his own Games record set in Melbourne to win the ninth gold medal, the country’s ninth. Vijay shot a total of 787.5 (583 in qualifying, 204.5 in final) and bettered the Games record of 778.2 that he set four years ago in Melbourne.

The silver went to Malaysia’s Hasli Izwan Hasan Amir with a score of 760.3 (576 in qualifying, 184.3 in final) and Gurpreet settled for the bronze with a score of 758.7 (569 qualifying, 189.7 final). Vijay and Gurpreet had won the gold medal in the pairs event here Thursday.

Vijay said he was happy to win the gold by breaking his own Games record.

“It always feels special, because this is the second time I have broken the Games record and that too by winning the gold medal. I am grateful to the Army, who have provided me all the help,” he said.

Asked which medal was special, individual or pairs, Vijay said: “The individual, obviously.”

Despite winning the bronze, Gurpreet was unhappy with his performance.

“I am extremely unhappy with my scores. I expected to put up a better showing. Now I am looking forward to my next events,” he said.

In the men’s 10 metres air pistol, Omkar equalled the Games record in the qualifying round by shooting 584. In the final he shot 97.8 for a total of 681.8. Omkar equalled the qualifying Games record of 584 set by India’s Samresh Jung in the 2006 Melbourne Games.

Gurpreet, who had won the bronze in the 25 metres rapid fire pistol earlier in the day, shot a total of 671.7 (574 qualifying, 97.7 final) to finish fifth. Omkar and Gurpreet had won the 10 metre air pistol pairs event here Thursday.

In the men’s trap pairs, Manavjit and Mansher were expected to win the gold, but Australia’s famous duo Michael Diamond and Adam Vella were simply unstoppable.

World No.8 Diamond, a double Olympic champion, and world No.9 Vella, who won the bronze in the Athens Olympic Games, shot a total of 198 and broke the Games record of 192 set by Mansher and Manavjit at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Diamond, who won the gold at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, shot a perfect 100 while Vella had 98. Former world champion Manavjit (98) and Mansher (99) also bettered their Games record by shooting 197. The bronze went to England’s Aaron Heading (99) and Dave Kirk (94) with a combined score of 193.

In the women’s trap pairs, India’s Shreyasi Singh (45) and Seema Tomar (44) finished fifth with a total of 89 while Australian duo Laetisha Scanlan (48) and Stacy Roiall (45) bagged the gold with a Games record of 93. The previous Games record of 90 was also held by Australian pair Nessa Jenkins and Diane Reeves.

England’s pair Abbey Burton (46) and Anita North (45) took the silver with a total of 91 while Canada got the bronze with Sue Nattrass (46) and Cynthia Meyer (44) shooting a total of 90.