Veteran shooter Rahi Sarnobat became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in shooting in Asian Games history when she won her shoot-off by one point in the thrilling final of the 25m pistol event on Wednesday.
Rahi edged Thailand’s Naphaswan Yangpaiboon by a solitary point in the second shoot-off after both shooters were tied on 34 points after the regulation time and again tied after the first shoot-off.
Meanwhile, Rahi’s compatriot Manu Bhaker got eliminated after finishing sixth. The 16-year-old had shot a Games Record total of 593 to top qualifying, whereas Rahi was 7th with 580.
Rahi started the final with a perfect series, leading the way with 10 out of 10. Later she shot another perfect series to take a two-points lead at the top. Rahi missed her first shot on her 12th attempt.
With this win, Rahi Sarnobat becomes first Indian woman to win a shooting gold at
In the next round of shooting Rahi extended her lead with another perfect set, while Yangpaiboon trailed by three points.
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With last 10 shots to go. Rahi led by one point but Yangpaiboon came up with a perfect set to take the lead.
In the last round, Rahi missed thrice to be tied with Thai shooter at the top. Both shooters were on 34 points.
Heading into the tie breaker, both shooters missed a shot each in the first round. But in the final shoot-off the Thai shooter missed thrice while Rahi had four out of five shots on target to clinch the gold.
Rahi Sarnobat is a veteran in shooting and has won bronze in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
After clinching back-to-back golds at the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow CWG in the 25m pistol event, Rahi Sarnobat was forced to take a nearly year-long break from the range due to an elbow injury.
She finished fourth in one of the two World Cups this year.
Rahi had won her first gold medal at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune. Hailing from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, Rahi was India's first pistol shooter to win gold medal at the world cup. She won the 25 m pistol event in the ISSF World Cup in Changwon in 2013.
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