Lusail shooting complex

International Shooting Sport Federation: Indian debutants Suruchi Phogat, still a teenager, and Sainyam bagged gold and silver medals respectively in the 10m air pistol women’s event to cause the biggest flutter at the Lusail Shooting Complex in Doha on the opening competition day of the season-ending International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final (WCF) Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun on Saturday.

Suruchi shot a junior world record score of 245.1 in the eight-woman final, to leave her senior teammate 1.8 behind in second. This is the first time India has registered a double podium in the premium year-ending ISSF showdown between the year’s best shooters and Olympic and World Championship medalists. China’s Yao Qianxun won bronze with 219.4.

Earlier, Suruchi finished second in qualification with a score of 586, while double Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker qualified sixth with a score of 578. Sainyam, who made the World Cup Finals cut through the world ranking route, clinched the eighth and last spot with a sub-par 573.