Palembang: Deepak Kumar and Lakshay Sheoran, shooters with contrasting career paths, on Monday made major breakthroughs by winning a silver in the men’s 10m air rifle and men’s trap respectively, at the Asian Games here.
The 33-year-old Deepak did not mind the long wait for a major medal, 14 years after he picked up the sport.
Lakshay, on the other hand, picked up the gun only four years ago as a teenager and at 20, is now a silver medallist at Asiad, equalling the feat achieved by former world champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu at the 2006 Doha edition.
Veteran Sandhu also happened to be in the trap field on Monday and was very much in the medal hunt until he missed five targets towards the end to finish fourth. With his father Somvir being a former national champion wrestler, it was no surprise that Lakshay rushed to touch Sandhu’s feet right after the competition was over.
The trap final was won by Chinese Taipei’s Kunpi Yang, who shot a sensational 48 to equal the world record. Lakshay shot 43 while South Korean Daemyeong Ahn took the bronze with 30.
“Since childhood I liked guns and rifles. I used to try it with my father. But when I decided to pursue shooting seriously, he was not very sure about it. I am sure he is proud of me now,” said the shooter from Haryana.
