New Delhi, (Asian independent) The Indian national women’s skeet team, comprising Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Shekon, and Karttiki Singh Shaktawat, are in line for a podium finish at the season-opening shotgun World Cup in Cairo on Thursday.
The team scored 325 points out of possible 450, according a statement from the National Rifle Association of India on Thursday.
In the individual women’s competition, Parinaaz was 16th. She shot 110 out of 150. On Wednesday, she had shot 18, 23 and 20. But she had a good series of 24 and 24 on Thursday to help India stay in the race.
Ganemat Shekon finished 23rd with a total of 109 (21, 21, 20, 22, 24) while Karttiki Singh Shaktawat was 24th with an aggregate score of 107 (22, 22, 20, 18, 25).
Russian women are leading the field with 343 points while Kazakhstan are in second place with 334 points.
The Indian men’s team are currently at the fifth position with a total of 345 points. Czech Republic are leading with 357 points while host Egypt are in the second spot with 349 points and Kazakhstan are third with 348 points.
India’s Olympic hopefuls Angadvir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmed Khan performed poorly in the men’s skeet event, and failed to make the cut for the six-shooter final.
After having missed targets in the opening qualification round on Wednesday, Bajwa and Khan continued to perform poorly in the second round of 50 shots on Thursday. Khan, with a total 113 out of 150, finished at the 28th place while Bajwa, with an aggregate of 113, was 30th.
India’s Gurjoat Khangura shot steady on Thursday to earn 11th spot with a total of 119. After having shot a series of 21, 25 and 24 on Wednesday, the 26 year old Punjab shooter was steady on Thursday. He shot a series of 24 and 25 to move up the ladder.
The competition in trap will commence from March 1.
