Former junior world champion Parth was the only Indian shooter to qualify for the final. The teenage was third in qualification round.

India’s Parth Rakesh Mane finished seventh in the 10m air rifle final at the ISSF Munich World Cup on Tuesday. Former junior world champion Parth was the only Indian shooter to qualify for the final. He scored 633.6 in the qualification round to finish third and make the cut for the eight-shooter final in one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions in Germany.

The other Indians in the qualifying were Arjun Babuta and Shahu Tushar Mane. Paris Olympian Babuta scored 627.5 in the qualification while Shahu shot 630.5. There were two other Indians who competed only for ranking points. Himanshu Dhillon shot a brilliant 635.7 while Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil scored 629.8.

India therefore failed to open their medal tally on the opening day.

In the final Parth started well in his first series of five shots and was placed 4th with 52.2 points. But he slipped as the 24-shot match progressed, eventually taking the seventh position. The 18-year-old Parth will however draw confidence from this first appearance in the final of a senior international event

China’s Changhong Zhang claimed the gold medal with a score of 253.7, and finished it in style with a perfect 10.9. Korea’s Minki Shin gave him a good fight at the top. He too shot a 10.9 with his final shot but had to settle for silver with a total of 252.7. Sweden’s Victor Lindgren won the bronze.

EOM