Baku (Azerbaijan): Indian shooter Rhythm Sangwan managed to break a 29-year-old world record in the women's 25m pistol event at the ongoing ISSF World Cup 2023 for rifle and pistol shooters in Baku, Azerbaijan on Saturday. Rhythm Sangwan registered a score of 595 in the qualification round which was more than the previous world record of 594, set by Bulgarian shooter Diana Iorgova in 1994.
The Indian shooter, however, failed to bag a medal and could only finish eighth in the finals. The 19-year-old Rhythm Sangwan also broke the junior women's 25m pistol qualification record of 593 set by Russia's Nino Salukvadze in 1989. Rhythm Sangwan topped the qualification round but could only finish last in the eight-women final with 10 points.
Germany's Doreen Vennekamp previously had equalled the record at the ISSF World Cup in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh back in March. China's Sixuan Feng clinched the gold medal with 38 points while Iran's Haniyeh Rostamiyan bagged the silver medal with 33 points. The bronze medal went to Doreen Vennekamp with 30 points.
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On Wednesday, Rhythm Sangwan won her first individual senior shooting World Cup medal as she clinched the bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event. Among the other Indian shooters competing in the women's 25m pistol event, Esha Singh (582) and Youth Olympic Games gold medallist Manu Bhaker (578) failed to progress beyond the qualification round after finishing at the position of 15th and 33rd, respectively.
Meanwhile, the men's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) event saw Indian shooters disappoint as they failed to make it past the qualifying round. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar finished 12th with a score of 586 while Akhil Sheoran (585) and Swapnil Kusale (583) finished 15th and 26th, respectively. Pankaj Mukheja was shooting for ranking points.
As of now, India's medals tally at the Baku stands at four. On Friday, Hriday Hazarika and Nancy Mandhotra bagged silver medals in the men's and women's 10m air rifle events, respectively, while Sarabjot Singh and Divya TS combined to win a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on Thursday.
The ongoing event in the capital of Azerbaijan is the penultimate stage of the ISSF World Cup for rifle and pistol shooters. The final stage will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before the ISSF World Championships in November at Doha. (ANI)
