Suruchi gets better of Manu Bhaker
The Las Palmas shooting arena in Lima, Peru turned out to be a battlefield between two Jhajjar girls- Suruchi Phogat and Manu Bhaker in the ISSF World Cup Final on Tuesday.It was battle between the experience and the youth in the 10m air pol final as double Olympic gold medall Manu was up against Suruchi, who was playing in her second World Cup.
Suruchi trumped Manu scoring 243.6 in the 24 shot final to clinch her second gold medal in as many competitions while Manu started her season with a sliver shooting 242.5. China’s Yao Qianxun took bronze.
Suruchi and Manu’s 1-2 in the women’s air pol meant that India collected one medal of each colour on the day, with Saurabh Chaudhary earlier winning a bronze in the men’s event.
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The Jhajjar show in Lima
It was clear in the qualification round that both shooters are going to dominate as they comfortably qualified for the final from a 28 shooter field. Suruchi finished second with 582 while Manu finished fourth with 578 in the qualification round.
Chinese Yao took the lead in the first round of the final while Suruchi was placed second and Manu fourth.
After the second five-shot series Yao had compatriot Meng Yufei breathing down her neck, just 0.1 behind, while Suruchi moved down to third with Manu holding on to her fourth position.
The Indians, Suruchi in particular, then came into their elements as Meng had a meltdown of sorts. A couple of high 10s ensured that after the 13th single shot it was an Indian 1-2 with the Chinese falling out of podium places.Story continues below this ad
Manu then had a couple of mid to low 9s for her 16th and 17th shots which probably cost her the gold in end calculations, with Suruchi emerging the more consent on the day.
Yao then had a good run and dethroned Julieta for bronze but with the final two shots left, it was Suruchi ahead of Manu 0.7. The teenager shot both the final shots more than her senior to extend a sensational run of form, which began with the nationals in December last year.
