Manavjit Singh Sandhu Traps Gold at National Shooting Championships

New Delhi, Nov 19 2016:  Former World Champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu was crowned Champion in the Men’s Trap event at ongoing 60th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) for Shotgun, being held in Jaipur.  The four time Olympian representing Punjab, shot 117 in qualifying to reach the final rounds in fourth spot amongst the six shooters to make it through. He then shot 12 out of 15 birds in the semi-final stage to make it to the Gold medal match and there beat Raninder Singh representing Odhisa, 14-13 to seal the title.  Young Kynan Chenai of Telengana, who recently represented India in Rio for his first Olympics, bagged the Bronze medal, beating Adhiraj Singh Rathore of Rajasthan 14-12 in the Bronze medal match.

While Manav has won several National titles before and is used to success at the highest level of the sport, it was pleasing silver for the second year running for Raninder Singh, who is incidentally also the President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) or the governing body of the shooting sport in the country. Kynan’s bronze also did not harm to his steadily rising stature in the Men’s Trap. Zoravar Singh Sandhu, who had topped qualifying with a score of 121, helped Air India land the Team Gold in the event, while Bronze medalist Adhiraj won Team Silver as well, with Rajasthan. Manavjit and his Team Punjab had to be content with the Bronze in the Team section.

In the Junior Men’s Trap event, Lakshay Sheoran of Haryana had to overcome a spirited challenge from Rajasthan’s Manavaditya Singh Rathore to win the Gold. Akash Saharan of Madhya Pradesh won the Bronze. Lakshay though lost out on the Team Gold to Manavaditya, while Akash had to be content with yet another Bronze in the Team section.