Manu Bhaker secures India's 7th Olympic quota in shooting, misses medal narrowly

Young Manu Bhaker secured India its seventh Olympic quota in shooting with a fourth-place finish in women's 10m air pistol event of ISSF World Cup here Wednesday, putting behind disappointment of pistol malfunction in her earlier event.

While a score of 201.0 in final got India a quota for 2020 Tokyo Games, 17-year-old Bhaker missed out on a medal by narrowest of margins, trailing reigning Olympic and world champion Anna Korakaki of Greece by a mere 0.1 point at that st.

Winner of multiple medals at top global events, Bhaker finished third in qualification with a total of 582 points (28 x inner 10s), shooting a solid 98 in her last two rounds.

On Monday, Bhaker suffered a heartbreak as she missed out on podium after a weapon malfunction saw her slip to fifth spot after leading field.

Yashaswini Singh Deswal, a junior World Cup winner, was also on course to make final before a poor series of 92 in final set saw her slip to 22nd with a total of 574 (17 x inner 10s).

Heena Sidhu, third Indian in fray, was placed 45th with a total of 570 (13 x inner 10s).

Korakaki and bronze-winning Korean Kim Minjung were t eligible from start, having exhausted eir ir individual or country quotas in earlier competitions.

Bhaker shared two available quotas with silver-winning Chinese athlete Qian Wei.

gold-winning score was 241.4, silver was decided at 239.6 while bronze was won at 220.8.

India have w picked up two Olympic quotas from ongoing World Cup as well as three gold medals to lead medal tally with one more day to go.

Sunidhi Chauhan gave a good account of herself in women's 50m rifle 3 positions event, losing out on a maiden ISSF World Cup finals berth on account of lesser inner 10s.

Needing to be among top eight to qualify for final, Sunidhi shot a creditable 1175 to tie on points with 6th, 7th and 8th placed shooters, but Italian former world champion Petra Zublasing edged her out for last spot with 57-inner 10 counts to Sunidhi's 51.

It could t have been closer for youngster from Bhopal, who is in her debut senior year.

Compatriots N Gaayathri and Kajal Saini shot scores of 1162 and 1140 to finish 52nd and 70th. Yulia Zykova of Russia won gold in event.

In men's 25m rapid fire pistol, Arpit Goel shot 577 to be best-placed Indian at 21st in qualifying. Adarsh Singh was 41st while Anish Bhanwala finished 47th with a score of 567.

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