Manavjit Sandhu defends national trap title

Manavjit Sandhu defends national trap title

Manavjit Sandhu

Former world champion Manavjit Sandhu successfully defended his men’s trap title at the 61st National Shotgun Championship in New Delhi.

It was an impressive performance by Manavjit, as he pipped another Olympian Anwer Sultan of Uttar Pradesh 45-43 in a high quality final that was originally scheduled for Friday but was postponed by the organisers, owing to poor visibility.

Manavjit, representing Punjab, had shot 117 (24,25,24,21,23) to qualify for the finals in second position, the same score which got him to the finals last time in Jaipur.

Zoravar Singh Sandhu of Air India, shot 33 targets to bag the bronze. In the qualification, Zoravar shot 117 (24,23,24,24,22) while Anwer 116 (23,23,22,24,24).

The 51-year-old Mansher Singh of Punjab, who has competed in four Olympics from 1984 to 2008, was equally impressive, finishing 4th ahead of the two youngsters Fahd Sultan and Aman Ali Elahi. Mansher shot 116 (24,23,23,22,24) in the qualification to make the cut for the finals.

Lakshay Sheoran wins junior trap gold

In the junior men’s trap, Haryana’s Lakshay Sheoran claimed the gold beating Rajasthan’s Vivaan Kapoor 41-39 in the finals.

Maharashtra’s Ashutosh Sardar Murkute took the bronze with a score of 31.

In the qualifications, Lakshay shot 113, which was topped by Rajasthan’s Aman Ali Elahi with a score of 116 (24,25,19,24,24) while Vivaan shot 112 (20,24,22,22,24) and Ashutosh 113 (23,22,20,24,24).

In the junior men’s team, Aman along with Vivaan and Manavaditya Singh Rathore registered a combined score of 336 to bag the gold for Rajasthan.

Zoravar with teammates Birendeep Sodhi and SM Faisal shot 329 to win the senior team gold for Air India.

The Results:

Men’s Trap: 1. Manavjit Sandhu (Punjab) 45 (117); 2. Anwer Sultan (Uttar Pradesh) 43 (116); 3. Zoravar Singh Sandhu (Air India) 33 (117).

Men’s Trap Team Team: Air India (329); 2. Haryana (328); 3. Punjab (328).

Junior Men’s Trap: 1. Lakshay Sheoran (Haryana) 41 (113); 2. Vivaan Kapoor (Rajasthan) 39 (112); 3. Ashutosh Murkute (Maharashtra) 31 (113).

Junior Men’s Trap Team: Rajasthan (336); 2, Haryana (326); 3. Madhya Pradesh (318).