Bindra pips Narang for Nat 10m Air Rifle gold

In a rousing battle for top honours, Beijing Olympic Games gold medalist Abhinav Bindra won the men's 10m Air Rifle gold, pushing Commonwealth Games champion Gagan Narang to the silver, in the 55th National Shooting Championships in Pune on Friday.

The Chandigarh-based Bindra (Punjab) fired a total of 700.2 points, including 104.2 in the eight-man final, to bag the gold medal while the Hyderabad-based Narang (696.6), representing Air India, secured the silver ahead of bronze winner Chain Singh of the Army, who shot 695.7.

Sanjeev Rajput of Navy, who has qualified for next year's London Olympic Games in the 50m rifle 3-position, finished fifth with 694.3 to his credit, behind the top three and P T Raghunath of Navy (694.4).

There was a big surprise in the 50m rifle 3-position event when MP's Rajkumari upstaged World prone champion Tejaswini Sawant of Maharashtra and Lajja Gauswami of Gujarat for the gold.

Rajkumari totalled 676.0 to clinch the title ahead of Tejaswini (673.9) and Lajja (673.2).

Results:

Men's 10m air rifle: 1. Abhinav Bindra (Pun) 700.2 (596+104.2); 2. Gagan Narang (AI) 696.6 (595+101.6); 3. Chain Singh (Army) 695.7 (594+101.7).

Women's 50m Rifle 3-Position: Rajkumar (MP) 676.0 (578+98); 2. Tejeaswini Sawant (Mah) 673.9 (571+102.9); 3. Lajja Gauswami (Guj) 673.2 (576+97.2).