Shooting Selection Trials: Bhavesh Wins Rapid Fire Pistol, Ramita Triumphs In Air Rifle

Shooting Selection Trials: Rajasthan’s Bhavesh Shekhawat won the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (RFP) T6 trials, even as Ramita emerged triumphant in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle T5 competition in the ongoing National Shooting Selection Trials 5 & 6 for Group A Rifle and Pistol shooters, at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range (DKSSR) on Tuesday.

Bhavesh, who was second to Anish Bhanwala in the T5 trial earlier in the week, did not disappoint on Tuesday, scoring 33 hits in the final to upstage Army shooter Gurmeet, who ended with 31 hits.

In the women’s Air Rifle final, Ramita was 'in the zone', posting a wire-to-wire victory and finishing with a winning score of 252.8 in the 24-shot final held in the outskirts of the national capital.

Bhavesh, a most improved RFP shooter over the past six months or so, was third in qualifying on the day with a score of 575. Gurmeet topped with 579 and Punjab’s Anhad Jawanda, who came third to also post a second successive podium finish in the trials, was second with 576.

Udit Joshi, Udhayveer Sidhu, and Anirudh Singh Rana were the others who made the top six, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) informed in a release on Tuesday.

In the women’s Air Rifle T5 Trials, there was no looking beyond Ramita. She first shot a world-class 632.4 to top qualification and then led the finals from the first series of five shots itself. Her lowest was two shots which fetched her 10.2, but a stunning 14-shots were 10.6 or above.

Olympian Elavenil Valarivan of Gujarat who came second, was in her element as well and was also shooting well, but Ramita left her 0.9 behind in the final calculations. Ramita’s state-mate Nancy was third with 230.2.

Among the juniors, Odisha’s Manyata Singh won the women’s Air Rifle while yet another young Haryana talent Sameer won the men’s RFP.

Wednesday has three senior finals scheduled.