Rahi shoots bronze,wins sixth quota for 2012 Games

Two Olympic quota places in two days have meant womens pistol shooting in India has finally managed to register its presence and touch heights hitherto unexpected

Two Olympic quota places in two days have meant womens pistol shooting in India has finally managed to register its presence and touch heights hitherto unexpected. After Annu Raj Singhs silver,it was the turn of Rahi Sarnobat to book a berth at the 2012 London Games after her impressive performance at the ISSF Rifle & Pistol World Cup on Thursday.

Rahi shot a near perfect total of 207.7 points in the finals of 25m pistol to win bronze and,in the process,became the sixth Indian shooter to bag an Olympics quota. Rahi had qualified in last place for the finals after totaling an average score of 582 (289 in precision + 293 in rapid),but managed to not only overturn the deficit but also nearly caught up with the eventual silver medallist Gundegmaa Otryad of Mongolia,who had qualified with a three-point advantage over the Indian. The gold was won by reigning Olympic champion from China,Chen Ying,who also equaled the world record of 796.7.

Everything fell perfectly for me in the final. Everybody had a sizable lead over me but I could manage to go past them. I am very proud of my performance, the 20-year-old Kolhapur girl told The Indian Express from Fort Benning,USA. Rahi shot an average score of more than 10.3 points per shot in the final to get to the podium and her first World Cup medal,remarkable for somebody who had only started competiting in 2008.

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National coach Sunny Thomas said that Rahis feat in the finals was remarkable. I have never seen anything like this before. What Rahi did today was outstanding. I am happy for both Annu Raj and Rahi,both have broken new grounds at this World Cup, he said.

But while she was happy for her reward,Rahi was also sad for compatriot Anisa Sayyed,who was second on the leaderboard midway through the final but finished seventh. We were all so sure that didi (Anisa) would win the quota as she had qualified in second place for the finals. She was doing so well but then failed to do so in her last three shots. Guess luck wasnt on her side, Rahi said of her senior pro,before adding,I know how me and others felt for her after the finals. Well talk it through once we are back.

Thomas too said it was missed opportunity. Of the eight shooters in the finals,five had already bagged quotas. We should have won a second spot too. But she shot a very good score.