Arjun Babuta ends 0.1 behind Olympic champion Sheng Lihao to take silver at Lima World Cup

Arjun Babuta claimed a silver medal in the 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru. Babuta, who had heartbreakingly finished fourth at the Paris Olympics last year, was second only to China’s Sheng Lihao the narrowest 0.1 margin. Lihao is one of the greatest shooters of all time and was competing at the event as the reigning Olympic champion and the Olympic and world record holder.
Finishing behind the Indian to take bronze at the event was Hungarian rifle star van Peni, who has 40 ISSF medals to his name. The elite field also had shooters of the calibre of Paris silver medal and reigning world champion Victor Lindgren of Sweden and former world champion Rudrankksh Patil, who endured heartbreak in the event at Lima.
Babuta qualified for the 10m finals with a tally to 631.9 in the first relay, which Sheng topped with an effortless 635.0. World championship medal Jon-Hermann Hegg of Norway was second with a 632.6. In the second, Rudrankksh shot 632.0 to top it and finish third overall with Lindgren coming second, taking the fifth qualifying spot behind Arjun. Peni, Rylan Kissel of the United States and Norway’s Halvorsen completed a classy final line-up with seven nations lining up for gold. Hriday Hazarika, the third Indian in contention, missed out in 10th with a 629.3.
Arjun’s final shots:
10.1,10.5,10.2,10.7,10.7,10.6,10.8,10.5,10.7,10.6,10.5,10.4,10.5,10.3,10.5,10.6,10.5,10.5,10.4,10.6,10.6,10.3,10.5
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In the final, Babuta and Rudrankksh began the final with identical 10.1 shots and were consently in touch with the lead group which in the early stages comprised Hegg, Peni and Sheng.
the end of the 10th shot, Babuta was in third breathing down Hegg and Peni’s neck. He took the lead for the first time after the 14th shot. As Hegg wilted, Sheng renewed his charge with a series of 10.5, 10.6, 10.5 and then finally a first 10.9 for his 16thto position himself right behind Babuta.
Not once did Babuta shoot in the 9s in the entire final and with two shots of the 24 remaining he was 0.3 ahead. The champion however unleashed his second 10.9 when it mattered most reversing the 0.3 deficit to his favour and a 10.5 Arjun to close fell short as Sheng closed with a 10.3.