World University Games: Manu, Elavenil star as shooters bag three gold medals

Chengdu (China), July 29 (IANS) Indian shooters started on a dominant note in the 36th FISU World University Games on Saturday, winning three of the four gold medals on offer thus far on the second day of competitions.

India bagged gold medals in the Women's 10m Air Pistol Team event, Women's 10m Air Pistol (individual) and the women's 10m air rifle events while South Korea claimed the gold medal in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Team event in the event that was declared open on Friday.

On Saturday, judoka Yamini Mourya won a bronze medal in women's 57 kg. Yamini along with Fawaz Najia Roxanne finished behind Mimi Huh of South Korea and Akari Omori of Japan a

TOPS shooter Manu Bhaker claimed two golds when she led the Women's 10m Air Pistol Team to gold and then claimed gold in the Women's 10m Air Pistol (individual) event.

Fellow TOPS shooter Elavenil Valarivan claimed the gold medal in the Women's 10m Air Rifle event with Mary Tucker of the USA winning silver and Hang Xing of China taking bronze.

The Indian team of Abhidnya Patel, Yashaswini Deswal and Manu Bhaker shot an aggregate score of 1714 with 51 inner 10 scores to win the gold in the 10m Air Pistol Team competition.

Abhidnya had a series of 96,96, 95, 91, 94, and 95 while Yashaswini started with a 93 and then shot 97, 97, 98, 97 and 95 in the finals series, Manu too started with 93 and then came up with 97, 97, 94, 94 and 95 as the Indians dominated the proceedings.

China took the silver medal with a score of 1711 (42x) while Iran claimed the bronze medal with a score of 1707 (49x).

Yashaswini Deswal and Manu Bhaker made it to the final in the Women's 10m Air Pistol, Yashaswini finished second with a score of 577 with 17 inner 10s out of a possible 600 while Manu was placed seventh in the Qualifying with a score of 570 as Hungary's Sara Fabian topped the stage with 579. Abhidnya, the third Indian in the fray, ended 13th in the qualifying stage with a score of 557.

In the final, Manu Bhaker shot superbly to climb up the ladder from seventh as she outshot Sara Fabian of Hungary 239.7 against 235.3, with the Indian scoring 10.4 and 9.2 in the final series as against 9.5 and 10.0 by the Hungarian.

Yashaswini finished fourth overall, losing out in the 7th series with scores of 10.4 and 7.3. 

In the 10m Air Rifle Women's event, Elavenil Valarivan stood fifth with a score of 630 while American shooter Mary Carolynn Tucker 631.2 with China's Hang Xing 630.3.

In the final, Elavenil topped the standings with a score of 252.5 while Mary Tucker of the USA finished second with 250.4 and China's Hang Xing came third with 229.3. 

In the Women's 10m Air Rifle Team competition, Elavenil Valarivan, Ayushi Poddar and Manini Kaushik were placed 8th with a score of 1875.9.

In the women's 57kg judo competition, India's Yamini Mourya defeated Oyunchimeg Oyungerel of Mongolia in the bronze medal playoff, scoring an Ippon and Waza-ari with 3 minutes 42 seconds remaining.

India are assured of a medal in Archery with the Indian pair of Aman Saini and Pragati reaching the final in the Compound Mixed Team event as they beat hosts China in the semifinal with a score of 152-151. 

In the Compound Men's Individual competition, India are assured of a place in the final as Aman Saini will take on Sangam Bisla in the semifinal. 

In the Compound Women's Individual competition, Khelo India athlete Avneet will take on Cho Sua in the semifinals.