Women’s 25 m pistol Competition 18th Asian Games Jakarta Palembang 2018

18th  Asian Games Jakarta

Palembang 2018

India Wins gold in Women’s 25 m pistol

In

Asian Games 2018

Antara/Palembang/ Jakarta

India secured another gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games shooting competition as Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat won the women’s 25 meter pistol event at Jakabaring Sport City, Palembang, on Wednesday.

Rahi ended Naphaswan Yangpaiboon's resistance in the final shoot-off. The Thai shooter had to settle for silver, while the bronze was won by Kim Minjung of Korea (KOR) with a total of 29 points.

The final match was exciting and tight. The Indian shooter was initially not in the top three, but she slowly crept up and rarely made mistakes.

Chinese shooter Lin Yemei, who was initially a favourite in the category, failed several times to hit the target. She had to settle for fourth position with a total of 26 points.

Yangpaiboon actually topped the point race up to the 9th shooting attempt, ending with a total of 36 points. However, the 34-year-old failed to gain points in her 10th and final attempts.

Rahi Sarnobat was calmer in her shots and managed to equal the Thai shooter’s score of 36. The match was finally determined with five additional shots.

In the first additional shot, both scored four points, so it went to a second extra shoot-off. Rahi again showed her calm and managed to shoot three times, while Naphaswan only twice.

This victory adds a second shooting gold for India. Its first was contributed by 16-year-old shooter Saurabh Chaudhary in the men’s 10 m air pistol.

India coach Munkhbayar Dorsujem said the victory was very important for Rahi as it was a turning point after being sidelined for a long time over elbow injuries and surgery.

"She is mentally strong and is at the highest level again," he said.

Rahi is ranked 15th in the world and has never won an Asian Games gold medal. Before today's victory, she had only won a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Rahi can't hide her excitement upon winning the 25 m pistol category.

"I want to prove to myself that I still can [be a champion]," she said.