Munich world cup: Sift wins bronze in tight finish at WC

Munich, June 7

Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra claimed the bronze medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event after narrowly missing the silver on the final day of the ISSF World Cup (rifle/pistol) here today.

Sift shot a 452.9 and missed silver by an agonising 0.1 to China’s Han Jiayu, the reigning air rifle women’s world champion.

The world No. 1 Seonaid McIntosh of the Great Britain won gold with a score of 466.7.

A fault in Danish Olympian Ibsen Rekke Maeng’s electronic target system resulted in a slight delay in finishing the kneeling position of the women’s 3P final. While Seonaid had already taken a good lead at the end of it, Sift was down at seventh.

As the Briton powered ahead after the second prone position, in front by almost three from second-placed Chinese Zhang Qiongyue at that stage, Sift clawed up to fifth with an above average round.

A brilliant second five-shot series in the last standing position brought her up to the joint bronze medal position with China’s Han Jiayu, the reigning world champion in the women’s 10m air rifle.

Sift was now in her elements, and after the 43rd shot of the 45-shot final, she had climbed up to second, but eventually had to settle for bronze.

India ended the competition with two medals.