Asian Games | 15-year old Shardul Vihan secures silver in double trap

Asian Games | 15-year old Shardul Vihan secures silver in double trap

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One of the youngest shooters at the Asiad in Jakarta, Shardul Vihan, has managed to grab a silver medal in the double trap event as he recorded a score of 73 in the final. In the process, he became the third teenager after Saurabh Chaudhary and Lakshya Sheoran to win a shooting medal for India.

Indian shooters have been in fine form ever since the last year’s World Championships as they carried that form into the 2018 Gold Coast CWG as well. Ahead of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, there were a lot of expectations from the young bunch of shooters that were included in the Indian contingent set to leave for Indonesia.

And now, after Rahi Sarnobat beat all expectations to become India's first woman shooter with an Asian Games gold, 15-year old Shardul Vihan has now bagged the silver medal in the double trap event at Jakarta. Vihan shot a score of 73 in the final as he finished behind Korea's Hyunwoo Shin, who clinched gold with a total score of 74 at the JSC - Shooting Range. Shardul had earlier topped the qualification round with a score of 141. Qatar's Hamad Ali Al Marri won bronze as he shot a score of 53.

In doing so, Vihan became the third Indian who won a medal in the double trap event at the Asian Games. Ronjan Sodhi won gold in 2010 while Olympic silver medalist and present Sports Ministry head - Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won silver in 2010. Shardul also became the third teenager after Saurabh Chaudhary (gold in 10m air pistol) and Lakshay Sheoran (silver in trap) to bag a shooting medal for India in Palembang.

Vihan came from the small town of Meerut and started competing in junior competitions in 2015 and had previously finished sixth in the same event at the junior World Championships in 2017. The 15-year old got off to a perfect start in the final as he hit the first 10 clays. His first miss came on the 11th shot but he continued to lead the tie against the Korean till the first elimination at the end of 30 shots. The teenager will next appear at the World Championships in Changwon in South Korea next month.

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