Bhowneesh Mendiratta wins India's first Paris 2024 quota place in Shooting

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Bhowneesh Mendiratta won India's first Paris 2024 Olympics quota place in Shooting, after he finished a commendable fourth in the Men's Trap competition at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship Shotgun in Osijek, Croatia.

Bhowneesh missed a world championship medal narrowly in the process, being the first to bow out with 13 out of the first 15-hits in the 35-shot medal match. There were four quota places each up for grabs in both the Men's and Women's Trap on the day.

The 23-year-old world number 144 (before the final) from Faridabad had however secured the Paris quota for the country after he had topped the second Ranking round match with a brilliant 24 out of 25 hits. Earlier in the day, he completed his final qualification round with a perfect 25/25 to finish with a score of 121. He eventually qualified fourth after coming second in a four-way shoot-off to decide the final qualification positions.

A total of eight Shooters qualified for the two ranking rounds in the 154-strong field. For the seventh and eight places, there was a 11-way shoot-off.

Bhowneesh lined up with American Derrick Mein, the world number three, Briton Aaron Heading and Qatari R.H.SA Al-Althba in the second ranking round match. Derrick Mein had finished second, while Al-Athba and Heading were sixth and eighth in qualification respectively.

Heading was the first to bow out hitting 11 targets of the first 15. The American Mein was ahead with a clean 15 strikes while Bhowneesh was second with 14 hits. Al-Athba of Qatar had 12 hits to his name at that stage.

With the quota on the line, the Indian shot out of his skin and hit a straight 10-targets after that to top the round and seal the quota.

Mein missed his last three targets to get into a shoot-off with Al-Athba, which he won on the first shoot-off shot to make it through.

They were joined in the final by Britain's Nathan Hales and Chinese Taipei's Kun Pi-Yang who had topped the qualification round with a score of 123. Hales won the first ranking round while Yang came in second.

The Indian started brilliantly in the final as well but missed a crucial bird in the last five-shot series to miss a medal. American Mein won gold with 33 hits, while Hales won silver with 31. Yang bowed out at the 25-shot stage with 23 hits. All three medalists also picked up the other three quota places for their nations.

It was an excellent effort from the youngster, whose only senior medal at the world stage before this was a Team silver at the Changwon World Cup earlier in the year.

Among the other Indians, the experienced Prithviraj Tondaiman narrowly missed making at least the shoot-offs to make it to the ranking round, shooting 119 to finish 22nd eventually. The final two scores to make it to the ranking rounds was 120. Vivaan Kapoor was further back in 119th position with a score of 107.

India did not make much headway in the Women's Trap with Neeru finishing 29th with a score of 111, Shreyasi Singh 35th with 110 and Manisha Keer finished 61st overall with 102 hits to her name, after the five 25-shot rounds in qualification. Carole Cormenier of France won gold in the event. France, Spain Slovakia and Australia picked up the Paris quotas.

India currently is placed joint fourth on the medal tally with one gold medal to their name.