In a final where the latest Chinese sensation Peng Xinlu shattered the world record, India’s Meghana Sajjanar, competing in her first world final in eight years, clinched bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle. This marked her first-ever World Cup medal and helped India finish the season-ending International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Ningbo, China, in fifth place on the medal tally with one gold and one bronze.
Meghana scored 230.0 in the final, while Norwegian ace Jeanette Hegg Duestad took silver and Peng won gold, surpassing compatriot Wang Zifei’s previous world record of 254.8 with a score of 255.3.
Esha Singh had earlier secured India’s first medal of the Ningbo World Cup with a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol. The Indian squad, primarily made up of domestic rankers four to six, delivered a commendable performance in a world-class field. China topped the medal tally with three golds, followed by Norway with two, out of the 10 golds available.
Early on Sunday morning, in the second qualification round, Meghana shot a solid 632.7 to claim the seventh qualifying spot, while Peng led with an exceptional 637.4.
The Chinese shooter began the 24-shot final with a perfect 10.9, setting a high benchmark, while Meghana was at the bottom of the eight-woman field after the first series of five shots.