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Key Points

Young shooter Kanak from Haryana has clinched India's first gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. Her remarkable performance saw her outperform two-time Olympian Anna Dulce in the 10m air pistol final. Despite initial nervousness, Kanak demonstrated exceptional skill by delivering crucial high-scoring shots in the final stages. Her victory highlights the emerging talent in India's junior shooting circuit and marks a significant achievement for the country's sports aspirations.

Key Points: Kanak Wins India's First Gold at Junior Shooting World Cup

  • Haryana shooter defeats two-time Olympian Anna Dulce
  • Wins India's first gold in Suhl Junior World Cup
  • Overcame early nerves with consistent high-scoring shots
  • Showed remarkable composure in crucial final stages
2 min read

Jr Shooting World Cup: Kanak upstages double Olympian to nail India's first gold

Young Haryana shooter Kanak defeats Olympic champion in thrilling ISSF Junior World Cup 10m air pistol final in Germany

"I was a little bit nervous in the beginning but I am happy that I was able to close out well - Kanak"

Suhl

, May 21 (IANS) Kanak, yet another upcoming talent from Haryana, won India their first gold of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, shooting 239.0 in the 24-shot eight-women 10m air pistol final, to upstage Anna Dulce of Moldova, a two-time Olympian and reigning European Champion by a margin of 1.7 points. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yen-Ching won bronze.

Earlier India had two shooters qualify for the junior women’s air pistol final with Prachi qualifying a spot behind Kanak in fifth as the two shot scores of 571 and 572 respectively.

Kanak, a junior world championship silver medalist in Lima last year, then showed her experience at this level, by bringing out the big 10s when it mattered most towards the closing stages of the final, to win in a canter in the end.

“I was a little bit nervous in the beginning but I am happy that I was able to close out well,” she said in the post-match interview.

In-fact it was Prachi who was always in the top three from the beginning of the final and looked more likely to medal, however the 15th single shot changed everything. It took Kanak to the lead with a soaring 10.5 and Prachi down to fighting for survival as she fired an 8.6.

As Prachi fell away, Kanak then shot three high 10s, one slim 10.1 and three high 9s (9.7,9.8,9.9) in her next nine shots to pull away from the field as the chasing pack struggled for any sort of consistency.

She closed with a 9.4 which will not please her coaches but by then the match was almost in the bag.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Haryana continues to be the powerhouse of Indian sports! First wrestling, now shooting - so proud of Kanak for this stellar performance. 🇮🇳 The way she handled pressure in final shots shows great mental strength. More academies needed in other states to replicate this success!
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Priya M.
What a nail-biting finish! 🎯 That 10.5 in the 15th shot was pure gold. Though I feel bad for Prachi - she fought so well till that 8.6. Both girls make India proud. Hope they continue getting good support from SAI and private sponsors.
A
Amit S.
Beating a double Olympian is no small feat! But why is our media not giving this enough coverage? If this was cricket, it would be breaking news everywhere. We need to celebrate all sports equally.
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Neha T.
As someone from Haryana, I'm bursting with pride! 👏 Our girls are showing the world what determination can achieve. Kanak's journey from local competitions to world gold is inspirational. Hope this encourages more parents to support daughters in sports.
V
Vikram J.
Great achievement no doubt, but we must be careful not to put too much pressure on these young shooters. Remember what happened after Manu Bhaker's initial success? Let them grow at their own pace without unnecessary hype.
S
Sunita R.
That closing 9.4 shows even champions have room for improvement! What matters is she kept her nerve when it counted. More power to our young shooters - may they bring many more medals for India in Paris Olympics! ✨

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