Shooting: Esha, Anish Register Second Win In Olympic Selection Trials

Olympic Selection Trials: Both Esha Singh and Anish Bhanwala registered their second win in the Olympic Selection Trial (OST), posting victories in the women’s 25m pistol and men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol (RFP) OST T3 matches respectively. While Anish had won the first trial in the same event in Delhi, Esha had won the second trial in the women’s 10m air pistol, also at the Karni Singh range in Delhi.

On Sunday at the M.P. State Shooting Academy (MPSSA) ranges, Esha notched her first trial win in women’s 25m pistol, shooting 43 in the final. Her score was a point more than the world record set by Korean Kim Yeji at the Baku World Cup, earlier this month.

Manu came a good second with 40 hits while Rhythm Sangwan picked up the final podium point, bowing out ahead of the 10th and final series with a score of 33. Simranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Patil were fourth and fifth respectively.

In the Men’s RFP final, Anish seemed to be in a league of his own, bossing the five-man finals field with three perfect series of five hits to begin the eight-series final with. He eventually missed just four to finish with 36 hits for the win.

Vijayveer Sidhu did stutter in the beginning, but eventually held his own to come in second with 31 hits. Ankur Goel was third with 19, while Adarsh Singh and Bhavesh Shekhawat came fourth and fifth respectively.

All 10 shooters will come back on Monday for the fourth (T4) and final OST match in both events.

On average in the first three trials, Manu Bhaker comfortably leads Esha Singh at the top in the women’s sport pistol while Anish is also well ahead of second-placed Vijayveer in the men’s RFP.

Even as Manu and Anish look near certain for a top finish in their respective 25m pistol events, the fight for the second spot still seems to be up for grabs.

The final picture in the Olympic 25m events will certainly be clear on Monday.