Palak, Sainyam keep India on course for 20th Paris quota

Both Palak, in the first qualification relay, and Sainyam in the second, shot identical scores of 578 to take the sixth and seventh qualification spots, giving India a boost in their endeavour to grab one of the two available quota places.Indias third entrant Surbhi Rao also shot 578 but missed out on making the top eight on lesser hits in the inner 10 ring, finishing ninth.

Reigning Asian Games champion Palak and Sainyam kept the Indian shooting squad on course for a 20th Paris Games quota place, reaching the final of the women’s 10m air pistol event of ISSF’s last Olympic qualification in Rio De Janiero on Saturday.

The final will be held on Sunday. Both Palak, in the first qualification relay, and Sainyam in the second, shot identical scores of 578 to take the sixth and seventh qualification spots, giving India a boost in their endeavour to grab one of the two available quota places.

India’s third entrant Surbhi Rao also shot 578 but missed out on making the top eight on lesser hits in the inner 10 ring, finishing ninth. Azerbaijan’s Nigar Nasirova took the eighth and final qualifying spot.

Mariami Profiashvili topped the field with a 582, while Hungarian ace Veronika Major also made the cut with shooters from France, Armenia and Thailand also in the mix.