SPORTS

Samresh-Vivek win 10m air pistol

March 18, 2006

Samresh Jung and Vivek Singh, who won a silver on the first day of the shooting competition, added a gold medal to their bag with a record-breaking performance in the men's 10m Air Pistol event.

They beat the experienced English pair of Mick Gault and Nick Baxter and Australian duo of Daniel Repacholi and David Moore, winners of 50m Air Pistol Pairs on first day.

Jung became the first Indian to win more than one medal. He is due to shoot in the men's 25 Standard Pistol Pairs with Ronak Pandit later in the day.

India now have four gold and one silver from shooting and leads the event's medal tally.

Jung is looking at eight medals, as he is also shooting in four events that have individual and pairs.

Jung, 36, and Vivek, 30, shattered the Games record with scores of 578 and 576 respectively. Their total was a whopping nine points better than the previous mark of 1145, held by England.

"The results for Indian shooting are beginning to show now. From three gold and two silver in 1994, we have consistently improved; we were the No. 1 in 2002 at Bisley," said an ecstatic coach Sunny Thomas, who took over the team in 1993.

"The shooters," he added, "are now getting all the facilities and this is one sport that can bring India many medals even at Olympics in the future."

Joydeep-Rajput fifth

Earlier in the morning, in the men's 50m Rifle Prone Pairs, India's Joydeep Karamarkar Sanjeev Rajput finished fifth.

The gold went to England's Mike Babb and Chris Hector. It was the first event in which India finished out of the medals. They shot 1173 and lost the bronze narrowly.

Wales and Australia were tied for third 1173, but Wales took the gold on countback.

Deepali-Lakshmi Priya ninth

Deepali Deshpande and Lakshmi Priya finished ninth in 50m Rifle prone Pairs. The gold went to Scotland.

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