Tilottama Sen wins bronze in women’s air rifle

NEW DELHI: India's Tilottama Sen, all of 14, won bronze in the women's 10m Air Rifle, the final medal event of competition day three of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol, currently underway in Cairo, Egypt.

Great Britain's Seonaid Mcintosh, beat Switzerland's Olympic Champion Nina Christen 16-8 in the decider to win gold. Tilottama ended the top eight ranking round with a score of 262.0, missing out on the gold medal match by the narrowest possible margin of 0.1. Her medal was India's fifth of the competition, a second bronze to add to three golds.

The Briton was in her elements from the qualification round itself, topping the 95-strong field with a score of 634.0, after 60-shots. Tilottama, who also shot the second qualification relay, was second with 632.7. She was joined in the top eights by two other Indians- Ramita, yet another teenager, who shot 630.6 to take the sixth qualifying spot and the winner of the Air Rifle Mixed Team event, Narmada Nithin, who grabbed the eighth and final spot with an effort of 630.5.

While Narmada bowed out in seventh position, both Tilottama and Ramita fought bravely for a spot in the title round with the experienced Seonaid and women's 3P Olympic Champion Nina, being matched shot for shot. The duo however fell short with Ramita finishing fourth and Tilottama settling for third spot.

All in all, it was yet another profitable day for India with Rudrankksh Patil earlier winning gold in the men's Air Rifle. India is placed comfortably on top of the medal tally with three golds, with Hungary, Britain and Slovakia winning the other three awarded. There are four more finals coming up in the next couple of days.