New Delhi: Muskan won the women’s 25m pistol gold to help India topple China from the top spot in the standings at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney on Wednesday.
The 16-year-old defeated China’s Qin Sihang and Thailand’s Kanyakorn Hirunphoem to win gold on the tournament’s penultimate day. Qin and Kanyakorn settled for silver and bronze respectively.
Muskan, along with Manu Bhaker and Devanshi Rana then led India to the team gold, helping the country to 22 medals (nine gold, five silver, eight bronze). China were second with eight golds. Muskan claimed India’s fourth individual gold in Sydney.
She took the lead after the sixth round, scoring a perfect 5-hit series to surge to a 3-point advantage over her closest rival Qin. Muskan defended that lead from there on, to win her first ISSF medal with 35 hits, while Qin finished with 34.
Thailand’s 16-year-old Kanyakorn finished with 26 hits to bag her second medal at Sydney after claiming silver in the air pistol four days ago.
Manu was fourth with 18 hits. China’s Zhu Siying was sixth with 12 hits, a rung below her team mate Xiao Jiaruixuan (14 hits).
Arunima Gaur finished seventh (8 hits), just above China’s Li Xue (7 hits).
In the team event, India secured a one-two finish with Arunina, Mahima Turhi Agrawal and Tanu Rawal grabbing silver behind Manu, Muskan and Devanshi.
Thailand’s Kanyakorn, Viramon Kidarn and Luxciga Srinitivoravong were third. Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Ayush Rudraraju and Gurnilal Singh Garcha bagged the team silver in men’s junior skeet.
