Shooting: Sweet 16 for India as Rhythm Sangwan wins record-breaking quota spot for Paris 2024

Rhythm Sangwan earned India a record 16th Olympics quota place in Sport Shooting for Paris 2024, on her way to winning bronze in the women’s 25m pistol on Thursday at the ongoing Asia Olympic Qualification Rifle/Pistol in Jakarta.

The qualification world record holder, shot two rapid-fire series of 100 early in the morning at the Senayan Shooting range, to earn her spot for the final with a top score of 588. With three Koreans in the final 8 ineligbile, only five nations were competing for the two Olympic quotas. Rhythm then overcame a slow start a late scare to finish with 28 hits out of her first 35 targets, and clinching third place behind a pair of Koreans.

Chinese Taipei veteran Wu Chia Ying bagging the other with a fifth-place finish, behind a third Korean.

This was the third medal in Jakarta as Rhythm had earlier won bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol and earned silver in the mixed team 10m air pistol events.

Another quota opportunity coming up as @SangwanRhythm reaches the final of the women’s 25m pistol at the #AsianOlympicQualification in Jakarta, 🇮🇩 Final coming up at 9.45am IST.#IndianShooting pic.twitter.com/iWr56CDYNt

— NRAI (@OfficialNRAI) January 11, 2024

“I’m really happy that I won the bronze medal and a quota for my country,” Sangwan told ISSF TV. “I would like to thank my coach – it’s because of him that I am here today – and all my supporters out there. Thank you very much for your blessings. All of the medals I have won here hold a special place in my heart, but today I was also able to win a quota for my country.”

It also ensured India, would be sending their largest-ever Shooting squad to the Paris Games, overtaking the 15-quota places won ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

After missing out earlier in a couple of qualification events, Rhythm added, “It was really tough to miss out especially after making two world championship finals. But that’s the sport and guess it was waiting to be a special one, a historic one.”

Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Senior Vice President, National Rifle Association of India said in a statement, “We believe we are not done yet, but it is indeed a day to treasure.” K. Sultan Singh, Secretary General, NRAI, added, “This increases expectations of better performances in big events like the Olympics and we are confident that we can deliver.”

Rhythm’s fight to the quota

With Manu Bhaker already sealing one quota in the women’s 25m pistol in earlier competitions and Esha Singh winning one in the air pistol in this competition earlier, Rhythm began the event needing to ward off among others, compatriot Simranpreet Kaur Brar.

She began the day placed fifth after the first precision round on Wednesday and if there were any doubts on her final qualification, she erased all with near perfection in the second rapid-fire round. Her 298 out of 300 propelled her to 588, three clear of Yeji Kim, the first of three Koreans to make the top eight. Simranpreet shot 577 to miss out in 11th place.

That meant that Rhythm would have to finish better than at least three of the four remaining finalists, discounting the three Koreans to ensure the quota.

Congratulations to @SangwanRhythm as she nails India’s record-breaking 16th @Paris2024 quota place in #Shooting with a 🥉 in the women’s 25m pistol at the #AsianOlympicQualification in Jakarta 🇮🇩🔥🔥🔥🇮🇳🇮🇳❤️#IndianShooting pic.twitter.com/ztN4TElu1r

— NRAI (@OfficialNRAI) January 11, 2024

The eight series of five rapid-fire shots began with Rhtyhm finding it tough yet again in the initial stages lying between fifth and sixth with two Singaporeans, besides Wu giving her a run for her money.

That changed with two consecutive hits of four in the fourth and fifth series, giving her a cushion over Wu and the Singaporeans, as Filipino Shayne Quiroz became the first to exit.

The quota was confirmed after the sixth, as Teh Xiu Hong became the second Singaporean to exit in succession. It perhaps boosted her confidence as she then outgunned both Wu and Korean Minseo Kim to claim bronze behind Jin Yang who won gold and Yeji Kim who took silver with a world record score of 41.

India also picked up a silver in the women’s 25m pistol team event and top the table ahead of China with eight gold, seven silver and six bronze medals.

Sweet 16 for India

It all began in Baku in 2022, when Rudrankksh Patil and Swapnil Kusale won the first two Paris quotas with a gold and fourth place performance in the men’s air rifle and men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) respectively at the world championships. The third also came in 2022 when Bhowneesh Mendiratta finished fourth in the Shotgun worlds to claim a quota in Men’s Trap.

Thereafter India won 10 quotas in 2023 across designated competitions, before beginning 2024 with three more in this competition. Varun Tomar and Esha Singh had earlier won quota places with gold-winning performances in the men’s and women’s air pistol.

A quota place does not automatically guarantee a shooter a place in the team for the Olympics. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has put in place an elaborate selection process that involves multiple trials to ensure in-form shooters travel for the Games.

The list of quota winners is as follows (first 6 events have full quota complete):

Rudrankksh Patil, Arjun Babuta- 10m Air Rifle Men

Akhil Sheoran, Swapnil Kusale – 50m 3P Rifle Men

Mehuli Ghosh, Tilottama Sen – 10m Air Rifle Women

Sift Kaur Samra, Shriyanka Sadangi – 50m 3P Rifle Women

Sarabjot Singh, Varun Tomar – 10m Air Pistol Men

Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan – 25m Pistol Women

Anish Bhanwala – 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men

Esha Singh – 10m Air Pistol Women

Rajeshwari Kumari – Trap Women

Bhowneesh Mendiratta – Trap Men

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