Manu Bhaker Narrowly Misses Podium, Secures Fourth at Asian Shooting Championship

Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Aug 25 (PTI) Double Olympic medallist Indian shooter Manu Bhaker narrowly missed a podium finish, securing fourth place in the women's 25m pistol event at the Asian Shooting Championship on Monday.

Her compatriot, Esha Singh, finished sixth in the fiercely contested eight-women final, accumulating 18 points. Meanwhile, Bhaker's efforts culminated in a score of 25, just four points shy of Vietnam's bronze medallist, Thu Vinh Trinh, who scored 29.

The gold and silver in the event were claimed by Chinese shooters Yueyue Zhang and Jiaruixuan Xiao, respectively. Zhang emerged victorious with a 4-3 triumph in the shoot-off after both shooters were tied at 39 points.

In the team category, the Indian trio of Bhaker, Esha, and Simranpreet Kaur Brar proudly clinched the bronze medal with a combined score of 1749, finishing behind powerhouses China and South Korea.

Displaying impressive form, Esha topped the qualifications for the women's 25m pistol category, surpassing her teammate Bhaker and the eventual Chinese medallists, Xiao and Zhang.

Earlier in the tournament, Bhaker had already secured bronze medals in both the women's 10m air pistol individual and team events, demonstrating consistent performance. In the precision stage of the women's 25m pistol qualification round, Bhaker was placed fourth, while Esha held the second position.