Changwon 2022 WC: Jakhar's gold leads India's impressive start

NEW DELHI: Pistol shooter Rahul Jakhar held his nerves to emerge victorious in a shoot-off as Indian shooters opened their campaign at the Changwon 2022 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup on a resounding note clinching three medals including gold on Thursday.

According to information received here, Jakhar, who qualified in the second spot with a score of 574-14x, held off a determined Kim Jungam in the shoot-off (3+3+2: 3+3+0) to win the P3 -- Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 finals.

Trailing Jungam throughout the final, the 36-year-old Indian kept his calm to equal the scores 20-all in the last series of the Elimination round.

"It was an amazing final. I am very happy to win the gold despite facing two malfunctions during the finals. It was a good experience before the all-important World Championships in November," Jakhar told the Paralympic Committee of India.

Pooja Agarwal claimed the bronze with 14 points.

Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara was also in action on the opening day, in the R2- Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. The 20-year-old, qualifying in the top spot, claimed the silver medal with a total score of 247.8 finishing behind South Korea's Beijing 2008 gold medallist Yunri Lee (249.1).

Lee's compatriot Myungsoon Kang took the bronze with 224.2 points.

Lekhara, who took gold with a world record effort at Chateauroux 2022 in June 2022, was happy to get the silver competing with a new wheelchair and new rifle.

In R1 - Men's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, the hosts South Korea swept the podium with Tokyo 2020 Paralympic bronze medallist Shim Youngjip taking the gold medal with a score of 249.7.

Meanwhile, France claimed the 1-2 position in the R4 - Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2 finals with Kevin Liot (252.7) claiming the gold medal by just 0.1 points over Tanguy De La Forest (252.6).

Represented by 14 shooters, India are one of the strongest teams at the Changwon 2022 World Cup.